Iron Dome or “Silk Dome”; Missile Attack Near Dimona Reactor Alarmed Israel

On Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed that a Syrian missile detonated in southern Israel, triggering warning sirens in the vicinity of Dimona nuclear plant in the occupied territories.

The strikes were soon retaliated by Israeli forces, targeting various points in Syria, including the defense batteries to which the original rocket was tracked.

The projectile was a SA-5 surface-to-air missile launched by Syrian forces against an Israeli aircraft, according to an Israeli military spokesman. The official claimed that the rocket missed the main target passing through the soils of Israel and exploded some 19 miles away from Dimona reactor.

The claim, however, was challenged by observers who believe the 125-mile distance of the explosion zone from the Syrian borders would knock out such hypothesis.

Whether Iran, Syria, or a third involved party launched the missile on the area around the Dimona nuclear facility, the attack has sparked outrage inside Israel due to fresh inability of the defense systems to track and intercept the missile. The Issue has given rise to concerns about the country’s military capability and defense programs.

The assault on the Dimona plant highlighted the serious threat that Israel faces on various borders, as thousands of missiles could drop massive volume of explosive materials at any point in Israel. The size can surpass simultaneous attack of 120 fighting aircrafts.

Simultaneously, the Dimona attack exposed the Israeli defense system’s most glaring flaw. The Iron Dome system, used to track and neutralize missile threats with pinpoint accuracy, proved ineffective.

The attack alarmed Israel because it occurred in a time when concerns of cruise missile attacks from in the east and the south spiked. Israel underwent a considerable update to counter precision missiles fired by drones. Iraq in the east and Yemen in the south are considered potential hazards for Israel.

The clashes in the Gaza Strip on the southern front, as well as military intervention in Syria and confronting Syrian and Iranian forces on the northern front, have exposed the flaws in Israel’s defense program. These developments demonstrate that Israel has not been able to adequately brace for potential attacks.

The expected attacks may aim destroying only one target in Israel: the internal front. A small Palestinian insurgency in Gaza managed to paralyze a great part of the occupation’s capabilities. Besides, Hezbollah’s potential invasion would bring heavier and stronger missiles, as a daily 2,000 missiles strike can entirely silence Tel Aviv.

No group in Israel doubt about the inadequacy of the country’s internal defense system in the face of simultaneous attacks from Hezbollah, the Qassam Brigades in Gaza, and Iran in Syria. The Israeli regime will be unable to defend itself in such a scenario.

With their reservoir filled with hundreds, or thousands of missile in diverse ranges, resistance forces scattered in various zones in the Middle East make the expensive, billions-dollar defense system in Israel futile and ineffective.

Despite some accomplishment in clashes with Palestinian forces, the Iron Dome proved untrustworthy when confronting Iran, Lebanon, and Syria. Triggering foes on various sides and borders, Israel seems to have missed recalibrating defense program in line with its triggering movements in the region.

The attack against Nuclear facility in Israel occurred days after the tensions between Israel and Iran escalated over a sabotage explosion in Natanz Uranium enrichment facility in Iran. The damage to electricity system cause massive blackout and damage a part of centrifuges.

Iran officially accused Israel for the explosion. While Israel didn’t officially take the responsibility, the reactions and some media reports signaled Israel’s role in the incident. Iran promised retaliation and called it “nuclear terrorism”.

Considering the new incident in the vicinity of Dimona nuclear plant an Iranian retaliation effort would be a far-fetched hypothesis, but on an overall perspective, not an impossible one.