The United States is sending more Missile Defense Systems to the Middle East
The War Between Israel and Hamas: State-of-the-Art Drone Defense Plan for the Obama-Biden Era
Drone warfare has dramatically altered the dynamics in a number of recent conflicts—from Ukraine to Nagorno-Karabakh to Yemen—but not in the war between Hamas and Israel.
The earliest versions of its Qassam rocket were rudimentary: lightweight and capable of traveling just a few miles. The missile became bigger and stronger, and they were equipped with larger warheads.
Over the past two decades, Hamas and Israel have engaged in a race—Hamas, to develop its offensive capabilities and extend its reach; and Israel, to frustrate those efforts as much as possible.
Like more than 20 non-state actors in conflict zones around the world, Hamas recognized that the drones could substantially upgrade its ability to wage war. drones are harder to intercept than unguided missiles because they are designed to overwhelm Israel’s air defenses. They travel low, and don’t travel in a predictable arch. It’s not easy to repel an advanced drone, much less a number of them.
The US military said it would send more missile defense systems to the Middle East because of threats from Iran and their allies. The deployment comes as Israel continues to signal intentions to invade Gaza after Hamas’s deadly incursion earlier this month.
Since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing at least 1,400 Israelis, the United States has increased its troop presence in the region and sent more military supplies to Israel as Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. During an address to the Oval Office on Thursday, President Biden warned Iran not to join the war and said he will seek billions of dollars in aid for Israel from Congress.
