By taking on the “lower tier” of incoming threats, the laser frees up Iron Dome to focus on the more dangerous ballistic missiles.
By Hezy Laing
The Or Eitan laser‑interception system isn’t a magic shield that stops every kind of Iranian missile — but it does give Israel a powerful new layer of defense that changes the overall equation.
The key is understanding what the system can intercept, how it works, and how it fits into Israel’s broader, multi‑layered air‑defense network.
At its core, Or Eitan is designed to destroy short‑range threats — drones, rockets, mortars, and low‑flying cruise missiles — by firing a concentrated laser beam that heats and destabilizes the target until it collapses or explodes mid‑air.
Because the laser travels at the speed of light, interception is instantaneous once the system locks on.
Unlike Iron Dome, which relies on expensive interceptor missiles, Or Eitan can fire repeatedly at almost no cost, making it ideal for large‑scale saturation attacks.
When it comes to Iranian threats, this matters enormously.
Iran’s strategy relies heavily on mass launches of drones and cruise missiles, often used to overwhelm defenses.
These are exactly the types of weapons Or Eitan is built to neutralize.
By taking on the “lower tier” of incoming threats, the laser frees up Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow‑3 to focus on the more dangerous ballistic missiles.
Iran’s long‑range ballistic missiles — such as the Shahab‑3, Emad, or Sejjil — travel too fast and too high for a ground‑based laser to intercept.
Those are handled by Arrow‑2 and Arrow‑3, which are specifically engineered for high‑altitude, high‑velocity engagements.
But Iran rarely fires ballistic missiles alone. Its doctrine blends drones, cruise missiles, rockets, and ballistic missiles in coordinated waves.
Or Eitan’s role is to strip away the first layers of that attack, preventing the kind of saturation that could overwhelm traditional interceptors.
In practice, this means Israel can now defend itself more efficiently, more cheaply, and with greater endurance.
A laser never runs out of ammunition, never needs to reload, and can fire continuously as long as it has power.
That gives Israel a crucial advantage in a prolonged confrontation with Iran or its proxies, where the volume of incoming fire is often the greatest danger.
So while Or Eitan doesn’t stop every Iranian missile, it strengthens the entire defensive ecosystem — and that, strategically, is what makes it so important.
