Missile interceptors in U.S.-Iran war| Explained

Explore the evolving missile defense systems in the U.S.-Iran conflict, highlighting advancements and challenges faced by regional powers.

The outbreak of fresh hostilities between the U.S.-led coalition, including Israel and the United Arab Emirates, and Iran seems to have triggered a newly integrated regional air defense network different from the one these actors deployed during their brief yet intense conflict in June last year.

The Twelve-Day War in 2025 was until then the most significant test of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense, with the alliance faced with having to blunt retaliation by Iran that included more than 500 ballistic missiles and over twice as many ‘suicide drones’. This time, with the theatre of conflict including the Persian Gulf, the U.A.E. has brought to bear its South Korean defence system together with the debut of U.S. systems that were only prototypes last year.

While many of these systems showcase new abilities, they also highlight the U.S.’ and Israel’s need to ‘ration’ them to keep costs down and ensure they’re still available should the conflict drag on.

Missile defense refers to a military system that finds and destroys incoming missiles before they hit their targets. These systems use sensors — including satellites in earth orbit and radar stations on the ground — to watch the sky and, when they spot an enemy missile, track its speed and direction.

Then, military command centres use powerful computers and military personnel to receive the data from the sensors and based on that calculate which targets the missile endangers and which response is most suitable. One important kind of response is the interceptor — which is a missile that flies towards the incoming threat with the purpose of destroying it.

In addition to saving lives and property, missile defence can discourage enemies from starting conflicts that could require missiles, since the interceptors could render them ineffective, as well as give leaders more time to deliberate.