Occupied Jerusalem- In the first week of the burning war between Israel and Iran, the cost of objection to the ballistic missiles jumped to about 5 billion shekels ($ 1.5 billion), in an unprecedented escalation on multiple fronts.
Behind these figures stand behind the Israeli air defense systems, which are described as a military “success story” despite its high cost, and the accumulated challenges that have sometimes appeared in their failure to objection Palceolic missiles or Drums Explosive.
The data indicate that the cost of each objection missile is as follows:
- Hitz Arrow 2 is about 3 million dollars.
- Hitz Arrow 3 is about 2.5 million dollars
- “David spray“With 700 thousand dollars.
- “Iron Dome“70 thousand dollars.
- The American “Thaad” missile, costing $ 15 million per unit.
Despite the limited list of this list, it reveals some of the financial burden accumulated on Israel in just one week. Even with what is described as a relatively “good performance” for air defense systems, the costs of success of the objections are very high, and they exhaust a budget Israel.
Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, the total cost of fighting amounted to about 180 billion shekels (51.5 billion dollars), while the defense budget for 2025 was allocated about 200 billion shekels ($ 57 billion).
The war with Iran raised the level of daily spending to 1.7 billion shekels (490 million dollars), while missile attacks on the internal front caused damage exceeding two billion shekels ($ 571 million). In Gaza, the daily operations still cost about 400 million shekels ($ 114 million).
Amid this financial bleeding, economists warn of the approaching threshold of comprehensive economic damage to the Chileon Shekel (250 billion dollars), due to the failure of production, the decline in investments, the vibration of the financial market, and the depletion of the national reserve.
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper believes that every objection costs the state treasury tens of millions per day, while each missile succeeds in escaping from this system may cause widespread damage and affect the confidence of the public.
On the other hand, every offensive operation carried out by the Israeli Air Force, such as throwing a bomb on Tehran, is not just a military decision, but carries with it diplomatic and economic price that is difficult to predict its repercussions, according to the newspaper “The Marker”.
Missile stock
In light of this reality, Israeli reports and analyzes began to warn against the approach of the outbreak of “Hitz ARu” missiles, which is the backbone of air defense against long -range ballistic missiles. And if the war continues for two weeks or more, Israel will have a major strategic challenge.
Despite the growing anxiety and warning in the American media about the depletion of Israeli defense ammunition, the Tel Aviv Nafia categorically denied the authenticity of a report published by the Wall Street Journal reported that its stock of “Hents-Arrow” missiles was worrying about disturbingly.
Despite the denial Israeli army The inventory declined, the American estimates indicate that Israel may withstand only 10 to 12 days without direct support from Washington, before it is forced to legalize the use of ammunition, and this means, according to Israeli readings that the army must make tactical decisions regarding what must be intercepted and what can be ignored.
Israeli concealment
Amid these warnings of the American media, the Israeli army is kept secret of the weapons stocks and ammunition of the defensive systems, including “Hitz Aro” missiles, and the military correspondent to the newspaper “Maariv”, Avi Ashkenazi, reported that “this is not true and does not reflect the reality,” adding that Israel has already started since last October, the implementation of the “Siham Al -Shamal” plan, with the aim of managing the resources between the attack and defense, In anticipation of a long and complex conflict.
It is now clear – according to Ashkenazi – that “the number of Iranian missiles was less than the initial estimates expected: less than 100 in the first day, and dozens only in the following days.”
According to the Israeli Air Force, the defense system is not limited to missile interception in the air, but also depends on hitting missile production sites, warehouses and launch platforms on the ground, according to the military correspondent of the 13 Israeli channel, Ur Heller.
“No one expects all Iranian missiles to intercede. We have the ability to destroy some of them on the ground. This is part of our concept; the attack is part of the defense,” according to Heller, from an Israeli military source.
Heller warned that more than half arsenal Iran The missile has not been activated yet, and that some of them are stored in underground warehouses, which means that the escalation may be in its beginnings only.
Object economy
According to Brigadier (reserves), Ram Aminach, an expert in security economics, the cost of the first week of the war amounted to about 12 billion shekels (3.5 billion dollars), 5 billion shekels for defense, 3 billion shekels for the attack, and the rest for additional unannounced expenditures.
Although the Israeli army – Aminach says to the Wi -Net website – does not reveal the number of missiles launched, estimates indicate that Israel launched a greater number of interceptor missiles to ensure success, raising the cost of air defense alone to more than two billion dollars.
However, despite these expenses – Brigadier -General added – “The defensive systems were unable to prevent missiles to fall into civilian centers, killing 25 people and hundreds of wounded, a number considered relatively high in the Israeli context.”
According to Aminach, the objection rate is about 90%, but the remaining 10% are able to infect sensitive targets if they are directed towards overcrowded areas, as there is no defensive system that guarantees complete protection.
“It is true that the partial failure of defense systems is painful and costs a high price,” says Tal Shathaf, a technology correspondent in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, “but so far, the most darker scenarios have been avoided.”
Shuhaf believes that Israel has succeeded tactically in defense, but it faces a strategic predicament. She may win a tour of the technological battle, but it may lose in the field of the national economy and its regional deterrence, if the attrition continues.
He adds: “The objection economy has become a policy, with every threat that raises the question: Do we call Hents with millions of dollars? Or do we bet on a cheaper alternative?”
He concluded by saying: “In the end, the battle remains open on several fronts, and the bet is no longer only to those who object to more, but to those who hold longer, economically, militarily and strategically.”