Israel to expand Iron Beam integration as laser system set for bigger role in warfare by year's end

Israel is expanding integration of the Iron Beam laser defense system, with sources telling The Jerusalem Post that it will play a bigger role in any war scenarios by the end of 2026. The system was used less in the early 2026 Iran war; the air force said 14 batteries are needed for significant impact. Israel is also improving defenses against Hezbollah FPV drones.

Israel is expanding integration of the Iron Beam laser defense system, with sources telling The Jerusalem Post that it will play a bigger role in any war scenarios by the end of 2026. The system, delivered to the IDF late last year, is the world's first operational laser defense platform capable of neutralizing rockets, drones, and mortars at a fraction of the cost of traditional interceptors. Many in the Israeli public were puzzled that Iron Beam did not play a larger role during the early 2026 war with Iran. On May 1, the air force said the system was used less because the military needs 14 batteries to have a significant impact. The Post understands that Israel is making strong progress in building additional platforms compared to December 2025, when it made its first announced deployment. This could mean the laser would be used more actively in any future conflict with Iran or Hezbollah, though still in tandem with the Iron Dome. In 2025, Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram called the deployment a historic milestone. The article also notes that Israel is far more ready now for the Hezbollah FPV drone threat than in early 2026, but there is still a learning curve. The IDF has deployed special short-range guns, nets, kamikaze drones, and electromagnetic warfare to counter FPV drones, and is working on direct energy microwave-style weapons.