Iran's Success Penetrating Israel's Iron Dome Explained

The conflict between Israel and Iran continued into its sixth day on Wednesday with heavy air strikes exchanged between the two countries.

The conflict started when Israel targeted nuclear sites in Iran and its capital, Tehran, on Friday. Israel accuses Iran of secretly developing a nuclear weapon, a claim Tehran denies.

Authorities in both countries report at least 224 people killed in Iran and 24 in Israel since the conflict began. A Washington-based group, Human Rights Activists, estimates at least 585 deaths as of Wednesday.

Israel's air defense system includes the Iron Dome, Thaad system, David’s Sling, Arrow 2, and Arrow 3 defenses. Despite its effectiveness, Israeli officials acknowledge that the system is not infallible.

Experts suggest that Iran's sustained attacks, including the possible use of hypersonic glide vehicles, have challenged Israel's defense systems. The sheer volume of Iranian missiles has overwhelmed Israel's defenses, leading to significant breaches.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have used a new method that caused Israel's defense systems to target each other, allowing Iran to hit multiple targets successfully. Decoy drones and electronic warfare tactics may have also been employed by Iran to confuse and overwhelm Israel's air defense.