David's Sling intercepts rocket from Lebanon for first time

The IDF used the "David's Sling" system in an operational interception of a rocket launched from southern Lebanon over the skies of central Israel, Israeli media reported on Wednesday morning.

Despite identifying a single rocket targeting the center of the country, sirens sounded across multiple cities.

“Due to uncertainty about where it will land and risk of interception shrapnel, sirens may sound in more distant places,” former Defense Array System Commander Ilan Biton explained, according to KAN. 

The David's Sling system, formerly known as the "Magic Wand," is designed to intercept advanced threats, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft, and drones. The was jointly developed by the US and Israel under the directive of the “Homa” Missile Directorate at the Defense Ministry.

David's Sling is intended to intercept very advanced threats, which is why the cost of each interceptor is very high, amounting to over one million dollars, Israeli media sites explained. About a year ago, the system intercepted a missile launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel.

David's Sling is the third layer in the national missile and rocket defense system, above the future laser system "Iron Beam" and Iron Dome, and below the Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 missiles. The system was developed by Rafael and the American Raytheon.

Along the flight path of an aerial threat, there are  designated zones where the missile is expected to fall, according to KAN’s report. “Therefore, there are areas along the flight path where a siren may blare for a more distant area,” even though the interception may occur in an earlier zone along the missile’s path, explained Biton.

Hezbollah had intended to target a Mossad base near Tel Aviv, according to a report on Reuters on Wednesday. The attack was in response to Israel’s responsibility for assassinations of Hezbollah leaders, as well as blowing up pagers mid-September.

The missile which triggered the sirens in central Israel fell into the sea off the coast of Herzliya and Tel Aviv, Home Front Command announced. 

Finland's $345M purchase

David’s Sling’s development began in 2006 with US funding, and the system began operating in 2016. Its interceptor missile has a unique structure, and it is equipped with a radar and an optical sensor. The control system was developed and supplied by Elbit. The radar was developed by Elta, which is a division of the Israel Aerospace Industries.

In 2018, two years after its introduction, David's Sling failed in its first operational interception attempt, targeting two Syrian missiles. It is possible that due to that failure, the Air Force's air defense system decided to use the system this time, to test it again and evaluate the improvements made to it.

In addition to Israel, one foreign customer purchased the defense system: Finland. The country bought David’s Sling as part of its efforts to enhance military readiness following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland announced in 2023 that it would purchase the system in a deal worth $345 million, with an option to increase it to $600 million.