Israel announces first operational laser intercepts

A still from a video released on 28 May 2025 shows the emitter of one of two laser systems that Israel has successfully used against UAVs. (Israeli Ministry of Defense/Rafael Advanced Defense Systems)

The Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on 28 May that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) has carried out the first successful battlefield interceptions with high-power laser weapons.

The MoD said in a statement that laser weapons had been developed under an accelerated programme by the ministry's Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D), IAF, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems that resulted in IAF's Aerial Defense Array personnel operating “high-power laser system prototypes in the field, successfully intercepting scores of enemy threats”.

The MoD released a video showing what it said were unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) being destroyed during the war that began with the Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 and involved numerous UAV attacks by the Lebanese group, Hizbullah, before a ceasefire on 27 November 2024.

“Shortly after the fighting began, we deployed several laser systems to help intercept enemy threats. We performed over 40 real operational interceptions during the fighting,” said Daniel Gold, head of the DDR&D. “We are, of course, continuing to work on the development of a high-power laser and its delivery to the [IAF] in the near future.”

Speaking to Janes , Gold said the systems that had been deployed did not include the Iron Beam that is being developed to complement the Iron Dome system as part of the lower tier of Israel's air defences. “[Iron Beam is] still at the end of development. Its delivery is not far off.”