Media: Israel uses Iron Beam laser weapon for first time in combat against Iranian missiles

Israel has deployed its Iron Beam laser weapon system in combat for the first time to intercept Iranian missiles and drones, an employee of the Israeli embassy in Moscow told Russian news agency TASS.

"Israel is already using the Iron Beam laser weapon system to intercept Iranian missiles and drones in test mode," the embassy employee said, Caliber.Az reports via TASS.

The embassy employee confirmed that the ongoing conflict with Iran marked the first combat use of the system.

Iron Beam, also known as Light Shield, is designed to neutralise ultra-short-range missiles, mortar and artillery shells, and small UAVs using a directed laser beam. The advanced system complements Israel’s existing Iron Dome air defence, with both systems operating from a shared control vehicle but covering different threat ranges. While Iron Dome targets rockets up to 40 kilometres away, Iron Beam engages threats within a 10-kilometre range using a laser beam of approximately 100 kilowatts—currently an unmatched power level globally.

Plans to modernise Israel’s missile defence were first unveiled in 2022 by then-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who promoted the idea of a defecsive “laser wall” to serve as a cost-effective alternative to interceptor missiles.

Despite its cutting-edge technology, Iron Beam faces technical limitations. Laser attenuation over distance reduces its effectiveness, and environmental conditions such as fog, mist, or clouds can further hinder performance. The system’s laser operates in a narrow beam, focusing on one target at a time, which restricts its ability to engage multiple threats simultaneously.

By Sabina Mammadli