April 10th 2011

Special Edition
Escalation in the South

The Events Over the Weekend

• ‫‏‬Two civilians were injured, one critically
and another moderately, when an Anti-
Tank Kornet missile was specifically
fired at a school bus in southern Israel on
Thursday.
• In response to this missile attack, IDF targets
15 terror sites and 11 terror cells in the Gaza
Strip.
• The Kerem Shalom border crossing ceased
operation due to escalation in the south.
• Iron Dome intercepts eight rockets fired from
Gaza.
• Since Thursday (April 7th.), terrorist
organizations in the Gaza Strip have
launched more than 120 rockets and mortars
into Israeli territory.
• READ MORE ABOUT THE RECENT
EVENTS
• Israel Air Force Identifies Terrorist Squad
Firing from Cemetery in Sajaiya - Watch the
Video
The “Iron Dome” System
• ‫‏‬The "Iron Dome" system is designed to
provide protection from STS (surface-to-
surface) threats, through the interception of
short-range rockets. The system is designed
to provide defensive solutions against a wide
range of threats, while minimizing the risk to
Israel Air Force pilots. Its main advantage
is the relatively short development time and
its low cost. READ MORE
• Soldiers of the IAF's aerial defense network
deploying the "Iron Dome" system - Watch
the Video

IDF Spokesperson's Unit Public Affairs Branch

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Escalation in the South - The Recent Events

School bus hit by anti-tank missile
Two civilians were injured, one critically and another
moderately, when an anti-tank missile was fired at a school
bus at the Sa'ad junction in southern Israel on Thursday
(Apr. 7). Immediately following the attack, the wounded were
transported by helicopter to a hospital for further treatment.
According to emergency services, authorities were notified
of the event at approximately 15:05 and ambulances were
sent to the scene.
The Home Front Command instructed residents in
communities surrounding the Gaza Strip to enter protected
areas as a precaution against possible rocket fire. Around the same time as the attack on the bus,
terrorists fired 16 mortar shells from the Gaza Strip which landed in the western Negev region.
Israeli President Shimon Peres, said in response to the attacks that, "this is another incident which
proves the Gaza Strip has turned into a terrorist zone. No country would give up the safety of its citizens
and Israel stands firm on its right to defend itself. Hundreds of thousands of mothers and children in
southern Israel cannot sleep at night as a result of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip."
Following the attack, Defense Minister Ehud Barak was quoted saying that he "told the IDF to implement
all means necessary in order to respond to the bus attack at the Sa'ad junction." Barak added that he
held Hamas responsible for any attack originating in the Gaza Strip.
During the course of Wednesday night (Apr. 6), the IAF targeted three smuggling tunnels in the southern
Gaza Strip and a terror tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip. Direct hits were confirmed.
IDF targets 15 terror sites, 11 terror cells in the Gaza Strip
In response to the missile attack on school bus near
Kibbutz Sa'ad in southern Israel on Thursday as well as
continued rocket and mortar fire, IDF forces carried out
a number of strikes in the Gaza Strip over the weekend.
The IDF targeted eleven squads of terrorists in the
northern and southern Gaza Strip, immediately following
their firing of rockets and mortars at the Israeli home
front.
IAF aircraft targeted fifteen terror activity sites in the
Gaza Strip, including terror infrastructure sites, Hamas
outposts, smuggling tunnels and weapons manufacturing and storage facilities. Direct hits were confirmed.
 Additionally, during joint IDF- ISA activities, IAF aircraft targeted Hamas commanders and operatives,
including a senior Hamas operative in the southern Gaza Strip, Tayser Abu Snima. Snima was directly
and physically involved in the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. In addition, he held several major
roles in the military wing of Hamas and was involved in a significant number of terrorist attacks against
Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Most recently, he was in charge of executing a terror attack from Sinai,
firing rockets at the city of Eilat.
Watch the Video – Israeli Air Force Identifies Terrorist Squad Firing From Cemetery in Sajaiya.

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Kerem Shalom crossing closed due to escalation in the south

The Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel
and the Gaza Strip has been closed due to continuing
rocket fire and the accumulation of concrete security
threats against IDF soldiers who operate the crossing.
The Kerem Shalom crossing is the main entry point
for goods entering the Gaza Strip. It has been closed,
on the order of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, since
an anti-tank missile attack carried out by Palestinian
terrorists on a school bus last Thursday (Apr. 7) at the
Sa'ad junction wounded two Israeli civilians.
Despite the closure, the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration notes that there are still large
supplies of food and medical supplies in Gaza and that no shortages are expected in the coming days.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) reports that a wounded Palestinian
was transferred on Sunday (Apr. 10) from Gaza to Israel via the Erez crossing to receive medical care
at an Israeli hospital. The Palestinian was not involved in terrorism and was accidentally wounded over
the weekend by IDF fire.
Over the weekend, three ambulances passed through the Erez crossing from Gaza into Israel.
In recent days, terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip have launched more than 120 rockets and
mortars into Israeli territory.
Iron Dome intercepts eight rockets fired from Gaza
Since Thursday, soldiers of the IAF's aerial defense
network have successfully intercepted eight rockets
using the Iron Dome system.
IAF Commander, Maj. Gen. Ido Nechushtan, visited
the site of the Iron Dome battery deployed in Ashkelon
with Aerial Defense Network Commander, Brig.
Gen. Doron Gavish, on Saturday (Apr. 9). The IAF
Commander spoke with the soldiers operating the
system saying, "I am happy to have started out on the
right foot with a number of successful interceptions
and I am sure you understand the importance of what
you are doing."
Maj. Gen. Nechushtan added that the Iron Dome system is only at its preliminary stages of operation
and there is still much to learn about it. "This is only the beginning of its deployment and we have to put
things into perspective. You are keeping citizens safe and we must continue to be prepared in every
way." With that, he stressed that the soldiers "had already made world history."
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The “Iron Dome” System

System Designation and Operational Necessity
The system is intended to operate under two main scenarios: Day-
to-day, against a reality of regular use of surface-to-surface weapons
against the State of Israel. In an emergency, a situation which requires
the verification of overall systemic function of the IDF and national
systems, while dealing with the threat of an extensive and constant
steep-trajectory threat.
Features of the "Iron Dome" System
• High success rate in rocket interception.
• Reducing the damage sustained by areas under the protective sphere.
• High and uninterrupted operational availability over long periods of time.
• System is capable of operating day and night in any weather conditions.
• Flexibility and readiness for change of mission and change of preparation for a given mission.
• Minimal false alerts.
• Reasonable ongoing maintenance costs.
• Response to an array of threats, without need to adjust differently for every specific sub-threat.
• High redundancy and long-lasting.
• Independence - able to perform defensive missions even in the absence of detection array.
• Mobile, safe and durable.
• Able to continue monitoring relevant threats, even when these are not slated for interception, in order
to support deterrent detection mission.

Development of the "Iron Dome" System

The project is lead by the administration for Research and Development of Armaments and Technological
Infrastructures (MAPAT). The main industries party to the project are: The Rafael Corporation (chief
contractor and developer of the launcher and interceptor); the mPrest corporation (sub-contractor for
the actualization of the command and control center); and the ALTA corporation (sub-contractor for the
radar and power system).

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Development of the system was begun in 2007 by Rafael, and in January 2010 an initial and successful
series of tests was completed, including the testing of target destruction capabilities, interception of
targets from various ranges, and interception of a volley of targets. A second series of tests was completed
in July, and concurrent with the final industrial development, the IDF is acting to embed the system and
its operational fitness for use by the Israel Air Force.
Structure and Characteristics of the "Iron Dome" System
"Tamir" Interception Missile: Equipped with an advanced homing head and several driving surfaces,
which give it high maneuverability. Its mission is to destroy the target in the air. The missile is highly
capable of intercepting any threatening rocket on the scene.
In addition, the missile is capable of intercepting targets in any weather conditions, and was designed
to be highly effective on one hand, and (relatively) cheap to produce on the other.
Launcher: Independent unit deployed in the field, with each system including several launchers. The
launcher is mobile, and takes several minutes to deploy and prepare.
Firing Control Radar: The main sensor used to identify targets and control firing in the "Iron Dome"
system. Identifies a rocket launch and transmits the data regarding its trajectory to the control center.
Interception Management Center: This is the heart of the "Iron Dome" system, which calculates the
expected impact location, its function is to bring about the interception of the targets, and based on the
overall threat assessment, to prioritize targets according to the pre-defined policy, causing the interceptor
to home in on the target in a safe manner. The Interception Management Center is home to the soldiers
operating the system who are in contact with the relevant command and control authorities.
Integration of the "Iron Dome" system within the Israel Air Force
Due to the project being regarded as an emergency project, work on integrating the "Iron Dome" system
within the Air Defense Corps headquarters began concurrently with the development of the system.
In the first phase we specified the system requirements, its operational concept, defined the required
manpower and the structure of the unit. In the next phase a startup nucleus was established that
integrated in the developing industries, became involved in the industrial development and formed the
basis of the creation of the "Iron Dome" unit within the Israel Air Force Air Defense Corps.
Upon the formation of the unit, both the corps and unit embarked on intensive activity designed to bring
the system to operational status as early as possible, including the composition of operating procedures
and acquisition of the professional knowledge.