How Missile Defense Works (and Why It Fails) Iran fired two of the largest barrages of ballistic missiles ever at Israel this year. Neither attack caused major damage, but some Israeli and American officials said it may have been a Here’s why stopping a ballistic missile attack is hard. A defensive missile called an interceptor must be fired soon after that to reach the incoming missile in time. Israel’s best-known defense system, the Iron Dome, was built to stop short-range rockets, and is too slow and limited when it comes to ballistic missiles. Interceptor Enemy missile Kill vehicle Re-entry vehicle SPACE ATMOSPHERE Enemy missile Re-entry vehicle Interceptor Kill vehicle SPACE ATMOSPHERE Enemy missile Re-entry vehicle Kill vehicle Gimbaled sensor Rear thruster Enemy missile Re-entry vehicle Kill vehicle Gimbaled sensor Rear thruster Enemy missile Re-entry vehicle Warhead Enemy missile Re-entry vehicle Warhead Layers of defense Layers of defense Both an interceptor and an enemy missile shed the boosters that power them into space.

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Persons: don’t, Israel, Israel — Organizations: Missile Defense, Israel, U.S, Drones, Ballistic, Iran’s Locations: Iran, Israel, United States, U.S