Israel’s new cutting-edge naval defense system shoots down drone over Eilat in first operational interception

The C-Dome system, a naval adaptation of the Iron Dome air defense system, is designed to protect seafaring vessels and infrastructure, including offshore gas platforms, against rocket and missile assaults

By Yoav Zeitun, CALCALISTECH    9 April 2024

C-DOME/IDF

For the first time, Israel deployed the C-Dome naval point defense system late Monday to intercept an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that had entered its airspace near the southern city of Eilat.

The interceptor missile was launched from a Sa’ar 6-class corvette, which had only recently been commissioned into the navy.

Sirens warned of the danger from a drone nearing Eilat shortly before midnight after the city and its surroundings had been the target of Houthi attacks since the war in Gaza began.

The drone was tracked by the C-Dome system, a maritime counterpart to the land-based Iron Dome missile defense system, designed to protect seafaring vessels and infrastructure, including offshore gas platforms. Upon entering Israeli airspace, it was successfully intercepted and destroyed. The military reported no injuries or damage as a result of the incident.