Tel Aviv, Nov. 21 -- Israel signed a multi-billion-dollar contract with defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to expand serial production of the Iron Dome missile defense system, the Defense Ministry announced on Thursday.

The funding comes from an USD 8.7 billion U.S. aid package approved by Congress in April 2024, with USD 5.2 billion specifically earmarked to strengthen Israel's air defense systems.

The Iron Dome system, developed in Israel and manufactured in collaboration with the U.S. government, provides defense against short- and medium-range rocket and missile threats, as well as UAV threats. Throughout the recent war, the system has exhibited outstanding performance with remarkable interception rates, delivering c...