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To counter an unprecedented wave of strikes launched from Iran, late on Saturday evening, lasting a total of five hours, Israel reportedly shelled out nearly $1.35 billion.
Waging a war requires weapons and money. The numbers speak for themselves.
Brigadier General Ram Aminach, former financial advisor to the Israeli Chief of Staff, as quoted by the daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, estimated the cost of counteracting the Iranian attack on the Israeli state, launched late on Saturday evening, at around $1.08 to $1.35 billion, equivalent to 4 to 5 billion shekels.
An “Arrow” missile used to intercept an Iranian ballistic missile costs $3.5 million, while the cost of a “Magic Wand” missile is one million dollars, Aminach explained, excluding the expenses incurred by the aircraft involved in intercepting Iranian drones.
Effectively, Iran launched 36 cruise missiles, 185 drones and 110 ballistic missiles against Israel. Iran claims that this offensive was a retaliation to the deadly strikes on the Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month.
The Iron Dome
The Israeli army, which claimed on Sunday to have “intercepted 99% of the hits” that resulted from the attack launched by Iran, owes much of this success to the use of its “Iron Dome” built in 2011.
In outlining its defense position, the Israeli military emphasized the support it received from the American and British Armed Forces, as well as some Arab countries.
The “Iron Dome” serves as Israel’s air defense system, initially developed by Israel alone following the 2006 Lebanon war, before receiving aid from the United States in terms of both expertise and funding.
As per the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, each interceptor of the “Iron Dome” costs between $40,000 and $50,000. Furthermore, the production of a complete system, including radar, computers, and three to four launchers — each containing up to 20 interceptors — costs nearly $100 million.
The Drone Market
In 2024, Iran’s drone market is estimated to reach $3.8 million in revenue, with an anticipated annual growth rate of 0.60% from 2024 to 2028.
Compared to other countries worldwide, China leads in generating the highest revenue in the drone market, reaching $152.60 billion in 2024.
