Israel to deploy Gaza rocket interceptor by June

[shira]

An Israeli interceptor system developed to shoot down the short-range rockets and mortar bombs used by Palestinian guerrillas will be deployed outside the Gaza Strip by June, a defense official said on Wednesday.

The defense establishment this week successfully intercepted multiple salvoes in field trials using the newly developed Iron Dome system, the IDF announced, adding that military air-defense units were already training on it.

"Our plan is to be operational by the mid-point of 2010," the official said.

During tests conducted over the course of the last few days, the system managed to intercept a number of rockets, by simultaneously launching its own target missiles.

Over the summer, the Iron Dome passed its first live trial in intercepting the short-range rockets favored by Palestinian and Lebanese guerrillas.

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