Israel opens Iron Dome missile defense system to foreign media

Israel has allowed foreign media to view its Iron Dome missile defense system that intercepts rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

Multiple media outlets got to see one of the Iron Dome's launch pads on Sunday, on condition that its precise location would not be revealed.

The Israeli military says about 9,500 rockets have been fired at Israel since October 7, mostly from the Gaza Strip.

The Iron Dome instantly calculates the trajectory of launched rockets and intercepts them with missiles from launch pads across the country. Each pad is equipped with 20 missiles. The system's success rate for intercepting missiles is said to be about 90 percent.

An Israeli brigadier, who helped to design the Iron Dome, points out that the number of rocket launches from Gaza has been decreasing in the past few weeks.

He said Israel is fully capable of defending itself against rockets coming from the south and from the Lebanon-based Shia militant group Hezbollah in the north. He stressed that Israel is determined to win the war against Hamas, no matter how long it takes.