Some of the IDF brass feared that missile defense would lead to a defensive mentality, rather than taking the war to the enemy. Ran Kochav, the former head of Israel's air and missile defense system. Indeed, there were similar criticisms in the US as to whether President Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" missile defense would work. Israel's missile defense system faced its most difficult test in April, when Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel. Ultimately, the virtue of missile defense may be that it is the least bad alternative.

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