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As testament to the success of the anti-missile defense system jointly developed by the US and Israel to protect the Israeli population from Hamas and Hezbollah rockets, Azerbaijan, a Shi’a Muslim-majority nation, has decided to buy a number of the batteries from Israel.
Azerbaijan is planning to acquire several Israeli Iron Dome air defense system batteries, Israel Hayom reported Thursday.
The Iron Dome, manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) to 70 kilometers (43 miles).
The impending acquisition was announced ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled December visit to Azerbaijan. The prime minister is also scheduled to visit Kazakhstan next month.
Located in the southern Caucasus Mountains, Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea to the east, Georgia and Russia to the north, Iran to the south, and Armenia to the west. In recent years, several top Israeli officials—including former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and current Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman—have visited Azerbaijan, which has expressed interest in Israel’s air defense systems. On his upcoming visit, Netanyahu will seek to further bolster ties with the Shi’a Muslim-majority nation.
Israel developed its anti-missile systems to defend against Gaza’s rockets in part, but overwhelmingly against Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal in southern Lebanon, supplied by Iran.
The Israeli-developed defensive system has reduced the effectiveness of rockets fired by terrorists out of Gaza into Israel by about 90% and has saved many Israeli lives during Operation Protective Edge.
Other countries have expressed interest in acquiring the system.
By: JNS.org and United with Israel Staff
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