Israel on Sunday marked a major milestone in modern warfare with the delivery of the world’s first operational high-power laser air defense system to the IDF.

The Defense Ministry announced that Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has handed over the first operational “Iron Beam” laser interception system to the IDF, following extensive testing in which the system successfully intercepted rockets, mortar shells and drones. The system will be absorbed by the Israeli Air Force and integrated into Israel’s multi-layered air defense network alongside Iron Dome, David’s Sling and the Arrow missile defense systems.

Calling the handover “a historic occasion,” Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said Iron Beam represents “the first time in the world that a high-power laser interception system has reached operational maturity.”

“This system changes the rules of the game and sends a clear message to all our enemies,” Katz said. “Do not test us.”

Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram described the delivery as a turning point, saying it “marks the transition from development to serial production.” He added that Iron Beam is “only the beginning of a technological revolution,” noting that the system is expected to dramatically improve Israel’s defensive capabilities while addressing one of the central challenges of missile defense: cost.

Unlike interceptor missiles, which can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per launch, laser interceptions are significantly cheaper, a factor Israeli officials say will help shift the cost balance against adversaries that rely on large volumes of low-cost rockets and drones.

Senior defense and industry officials attended the handover ceremony at a Rafael facility on December 28, 2025. Among them was Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, who described the moment as “especially moving.”

“This is another vital component in the air defense battle of our forces,” Bar said, noting that Israel’s air defense units “proved their operational capabilities during the war.”

Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman said the company was “proud to deliver the most advanced laser system in the world for intercepting aerial threats,” adding that even amid intense fighting, Rafael had already demonstrated “impressive operational capabilities using high-power lasers.”

The system is also known by its Hebrew name, Or Eitan, in memory of Capt. Eitan Oster, an IDF officer killed in combat in southern Lebanon. Oster’s father, who was among the developers of the system, recited Shehecheyanu at the handover ceremony.

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