Israel, US intercept long-range missiles during joint drill

JERUSALEM – Israel and the U.S. have successfully intercepted a series of medium to long-range ballistic missiles in a joint drill.

The missile test in southern Israel was conducted Tuesday by the Israeli Ministry of Defence along with the U.S. Missile Defence Agency and Rafael, an Israeli defence technology company.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded the tests, noting that Israel has earned a place “among global leaders” in the development of missile defences.

The test follows a temporary U.S. troop deployment in Israel during the installment of an advanced American missile defence system earlier this month.

The countries’ close military co-operation against the backdrop of tensions with Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah reflects their shared concerns about Iran’s development of long-range missiles.