Israel's multi-tier air defence missile system will be fully operational early next month with the deployment of the David's Sling interceptor, a senior Israeli Air Dorce officer said on Monday.
"In the next two weeks we will declare the David's Sling to be operational, and at that time we will have completed our multi-tier (defence capability)," said the officer, who could not be identified under military rules.
"I'm sure that together with the Iron Dome and the Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 it will enhance our ability to deal with threats," he added.
Israel used Iron Dome extensivelyto intercept rockets fired by Palestinian militants in the 2014 Gaza war ,and the Arrow missiles were developed with an Iranian missilethreat in mind.
David's Sling, developed and manufactured jointly by Israel's state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and the US Raytheon Co., would likely be used to intercept projectiles fired by the Iranian-backed Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah ,which last fought a war with Israel in 2006 .
The Israeli military said it used an Arrow-2 on Friday to destroy an anti-aircraft missile fired from Syria afterIsraeli aircraft carried out strikes there.
Israel has mounted dozens of air raids to prevent weapons smuggling to Hezbollah, which is fighting rebels alongside the Syrian army. However, the interception of a missile making its way over the Syrian border was an uncommon incident.