US General: Israeli-Produced Iron Dome System Ready For Deployment in Ukraine

 

by Connor Freeman | May 18, 2023

One of two Israeli-manufactured Iron Dome batteries is ready to be deployed to Ukraine, a US general told the Senate on Thursday. Tel Aviv has thus far refused to allow the anti-missile system to be provided to Ukraine, for fear of provoking Russia and risking its ability to freely bomb Moscow’s ally Syria .

Army Space and Missile Defense Commanding General Daniel Karbler made the comments about the possible deployment while responding to a question asked by Senator Angus King. During a session of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, King demanded to know why Kiev has not yet received the anti-missile system.

King beseeched Karbler, “We sent something like $3 billion to Israel to develop it… Wouldn’t this be a very important resource for the Ukrainians since their principal problem right now is missile defense?”

Washington currently possesses two Iron Dome batteries, Karbler replied. “One completed new equipment training, new equipment fielding. It is prepared for deployment. The other one is wrapping up its new equipment training right now. So the army does have one (Iron Dome battery) available for deployment if we get [Kiev’s] request,” the general explained.

Though the US funds the Iron Dome, and has spent $2.6 billion on the weapons system since 2011, it is produced in Israel. Therefore, if one of the batteries is delivered to Ukraine by Washington, the system will still have originated in Israel and both Washington as well as Tel Aviv must agree before a transfer is made.

Kiev has issued multiple demands for the Iron Dome as well as other defense systems from Israel, but the Israeli government is reluctant to fulfill the requests because it would jeopardize its delicate relations with Moscow.

For years, Israel has dropped bombs on Syria, a key Russian ally in the Middle East, on a nearly weekly basis. Tel Aviv frames their constant airstrikes as countering Iranian proxies in the country, though during these raids, Israel is routinely killing Syrian soldiers, civilians, and bombing civil infrastructure such as airports.

Russia has a significant military presence in the country, having intervened at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in 2015, to help beat back the al Qaeda affiliates and the Islamic State fighters waging a dirty war against Damascus. The terrorist forces, which carried out the failed regime change attempt, were supported often by the CIA and its allies including Israel.

Russia has provided air defense systems to Syria but still permits these weekly attacks. The Israelis have launched hundreds of air raids in Syria since the war began and would prefer to maintain its “freedom of action” in the region rather than risk provoking Moscow.

Last year, Kiev attempted to appeal to Israel’s hawkishness on Iran as a way of obtaining the Iron Dome. Kiev suggested, in a letter to the Israelis, that Tehran is becoming battle-hardened as a result of their drones allegedly being used by Russia against Ukraine.

Kiev warned, the “positive experience gained by Iran of using … weapons in Ukraine will lead to further improvement of Iranian systems.” The letter continued, this will “significantly contribute in strengthening Iran’s potential of producing offensive weapons and, as a result, will increase the security threats for the State of Israel.”

Though, Israel sees little benefit in providing the Iron Dome to Ukraine and perceives a potentially high cost, namely that Russia could respond by providing Iran with advanced weaponry. Additionally, Tehran has repeatedly denied providing its drones to Moscow since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war in Ukraine.

The proposed transfer makes little strategic sense as well, particularly given Ukraine’s huge territory. The Israelis use the Iron Dome to shoot down low-tech rockets fired by Palestinian resistance factions in the besieged Gaza Strip, an open-air concentration camp which – for more than fifteen years – has been blockaded by the air, land, and sea. One battery would be of scant use to the Ukrainians defending against Russia’s long-range missiles.

According to an analysis in the Jerusalem Post, “If Israel needs 10 or more Iron Domes to properly defend itself, Ukraine would need dozens or more, which simply do not exist. One or two Iron Domes from the US would make no difference tactically, and at this point, probably would not even make much of a symbolic difference. And even then, the Iron Dome might fail to shoot down Putin’s more sophisticated missiles.”

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb has said the US is “not aware” of any Israeli offer to make the transfer anyway. His statements came as Kiev blasted Israel for having “business as usual with the Russian war criminals.” Tel Aviv recently sent senior diplomats to Moscow for meetings with Russian officials.

Sources told Israel Hayom that Ukrainian troops have almost finished training on an Israeli early alert system, used to predict missile trajectories, “although it is unclear if this is related to a possible deployment of the interceptor.” These sources reportedly refused to comment “on [Karbler’s] comments but noted that Israel will not get into a fight with the US over the Iron Dome, and stressed that the general’s comments did not specifically say that the system will be delivered to Ukraine.”

About Connor Freeman

Connor Freeman is the assistant editor and a writer at the Libertarian Institute, primarily covering foreign policy. He is a co-host on Conflicts of Interest. His writing has been featured in media outlets such as Antiwar.com and Counterpunch, as well as the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity. He has also appeared on Liberty Weekly, Around the Empire, and Parallax Views. You can follow him on Twitter @FreemansMind96

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