US will fund Israeli defense rocket system

President Barack Obama will soon ask the US Congress for an additional $205 million in military aid for Israel to install a short-range rocket defense system.

The defense system, called Iron Dome, will be able to defend Israel from short-range missiles such as Katyushas and Qassams. According to the BBC, the system has gone through testing and will be installed later this year. Iron Dome is designed to shoot down rockets and mortars from Southern Lebanon or Gaza with guided missiles. Israel finished testing on the system in January and the next developmental step is its integration into the Israeli army. Israel recently requested US assistance on the project, a report in Haaretz notes. The request was given careful consideration during Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s recent visit to Washington. The Pentagon notified the Israeli Defense Ministry on Wednesday of the approval, which is in addition to direct military aid Israel receives from the US. In 2009, that figure was $2.55 billion, according to US State Department figures. That number is set to increase to $3.15 billion by 2018. A White House spokesman has reaffirmed the Obama administration’s “unshakeable committment” to the security of Israel, noting Obama recognizes the threat of missiles and rockets fired toward Israel by Hezbollah and Hamas. Israel developed Iron Dome following the war with Lebanon in 2006, during a period where Hezbollah fired about 4,000 rockets into an area of northern Israel. Palestinian militants are also responsible for firing thousands of mortars and rockets into Southern Israel. US assistance for Iron Dome was “a breakthrough, which will significantly facilitate moving forward with the project. The question of funding has been, up until now, the main obstacle," a senior Israeli defense official told Haaretz on Thursday. Udi Shani, Israel’s Director General of the Defense Ministry, is currently in Washington for finalization of the details.