Footage captured Monday appears to show the first-ever operational use of the Iron Beam anti-missile laser system, as Hezbollah joined the expanding conflict and launched rockets and drones from Lebanon.

The video shows a high-powered beam streaking into the night sky along the northern border, intercepting what appears to be an incoming drone. If confirmed by officials, the incident would mark the first known combat deployment of the Iron Beam system, which was delivered to the Israeli Air Force’s air defense array in late December.

The Iron Beam system is a technological breakthrough intended to complement the country’s multilayered air defense network, which includes Iron Dome, David’s Sling and the Arrow systems. Unlike traditional missile-based interceptors, the laser is designed to neutralize rockets, mortars and drones using a high-powered directed-energy beam guided by advanced electro-optical targeting systems. It also costs pennies to per interception – unlike the other systems, which cost millions.

The video was captured after Hezbollah fired several rockets from areas south of Lebanon’s Litani River, triggering sirens in Haifa and the nearby Krayot communities. According to the IDF, one rocket was intercepted, while the others landed in open areas without causing damage or injuries.

At the same time, warning sirens sounded for roughly an hour across communities near the northern border amid concerns of drone infiltrations. One drone was intercepted, though the interception sparked a fire near the border town of Shlomi. A separate drone interception caused damage to two homes in a moshav in the Upper Galilee. No injuries were reported in either incident.

In a statement following the launches, Hezbollah said it had targeted a “military site” south of Haifa using precision missiles and swarms of drones. The group said the attack was carried out in response to the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and what it characterized as repeated Israeli violations against Lebanon. It described its actions as legitimate self-defense.

Roughly two hours after the launches, Israel began retaliatory strikes. The IDF said it was conducting intensive attacks against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon and would not allow the group to threaten northern residents. Officials said the scenario had been anticipated as part of Operation Roaring Lion, the broader campaign against Iran, and that forces were prepared for the possibility of a multi-front conflict.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)