The impact of the ballistic missiles launched from Yemen that hit a school in Ramat Efal and a park in Jaffa highlights the need for “out-of-the-box” thinking to improve Israel’s defense layers against such threats.
An assessment of the damage from the strike in Ramat Efal indicates that this wasn’t collateral damage but likely a direct hit by the warhead or part of the missile body on the school building, which miraculously did not result in a disaster. Similarly, in Jaffa, a failed interception resulted in a direct hit. Similar incidents occurred during the war, such as the direct impact of a missile fragment launched from Lebanon striking a building in Ramat Gan, or parts of a ballistic missile launched from Yemen that fell near Modiin on September 15. It’s important to note that the impact of missile fragments or the missile body itself pose significant destructive potential due to their considerable weight and the high velocity of impact during atmospheric re-entry, which can reach hypersonic speeds—above Mach 5.
In principle, a ballistic missile consists of an engine, a missile body containing fuel, electronics, control and computer systems, navigation and sensing systems, and a warhead. The engine propels the missile at high speed, emitting intense heat, combustion flames, and smoke clouds. After the fuel is depleted, the engine detaches from the missile body, which continues to accelerate along an exo-atmospheric ballistic trajectory. Upon reaching peak altitude, the missile body begins a rapid descent toward its target, sometimes deploying decoys to counter potential interception. At this stage, the missile may release the warhead, which usually has some maneuvering capabilities, making a “clean” interception—without direct or collateral damage from missile fragments—extremely challenging.
To prevent collateral damage or harm caused by a missed interception, the missile must be intercepted far from its target. In the case of a ballistic missile launched toward Israel from Iran or Yemen, the interception should ideally occur outside the atmosphere, far from Israeli territory, ensuring that fragments of the target missile, its warhead, or debris from the interceptor fall within enemy territory.
This requires highly sensitive detection systems capable of identifying the missile’s flame and smoke cloud during launch, precise trajectory tracking systems, integrated command and control systems with rapid computation and data processing capabilities, and, of course, a fast interceptor missile. To avoid surprises, tracking must be continuous, preferably via space-based monitoring using a fast communication network and satellite systems with sensitive sensors, similar to the US warning systems deployed during the First Gulf War in 1991.
Analyzing and understanding these events is crucial for Israel’s defense establishment to enhance and upgrade the country’s defensive shield against advanced ballistic missile threats.
The impact of the ballistic missiles launched from Yemen that hit a school in Ramat Efal and a park in Jaffa highlights the need for “out-of-the-box” thinking to improve Israel’s defense layers against such threats.
An assessment of the damage from the strike in Ramat Efal indicates that this wasn’t collateral damage but likely a direct hit by the warhead or part of the missile body on the school building, which miraculously did not result in a disaster. Similarly, in Jaffa, a failed interception resulted in a direct hit. Similar incidents occurred during the war, such as the direct impact of a missile fragment launched from Lebanon striking a building in Ramat Gan, or parts of a ballistic missile launched from Yemen that fell near Modiin on September 15. It’s important to note that the impact of missile fragments or the missile body itself pose significant destructive potential due to their considerable weight and the high velocity of impact during atmospheric re-entry, which can reach hypersonic speeds—above Mach 5.
In principle, a ballistic missile consists of an engine, a missile body containing fuel, electronics, control and computer systems, navigation and sensing systems, and a warhead. The engine propels the missile at high speed, emitting intense heat, combustion flames, and smoke clouds. After the fuel is depleted, the engine detaches from the missile body, which continues to accelerate along an exo-atmospheric ballistic trajectory. Upon reaching peak altitude, the missile body begins a rapid descent toward its target, sometimes deploying decoys to counter potential interception. At this stage, the missile may release the warhead, which usually has some maneuvering capabilities, making a “clean” interception—without direct or collateral damage from missile fragments—extremely challenging.
To prevent collateral damage or harm caused by a missed interception, the missile must be intercepted far from its target. In the case of a ballistic missile launched toward Israel from Iran or Yemen, the interception should ideally occur outside the atmosphere, far from Israeli territory, ensuring that fragments of the target missile, its warhead, or debris from the interceptor fall within enemy territory.
This requires highly sensitive detection systems capable of identifying the missile’s flame and smoke cloud during launch, precise trajectory tracking systems, integrated command and control systems with rapid computation and data processing capabilities, and, of course, a fast interceptor missile. To avoid surprises, tracking must be continuous, preferably via space-based monitoring using a fast communication network and satellite systems with sensitive sensors, similar to the US warning systems deployed during the First Gulf War in 1991.
Analyzing and understanding these events is crucial for Israel’s defense establishment to enhance and upgrade the country’s defensive shield against advanced ballistic missile threats.