The IDF‘s Iron Dome was used on Sunday afternoon to shoot down fragments of an Iranian ballistic missile fired at Jordan near the border with Israel after the US Aegis anti-missile system had already been used to shoot down the primary missile warhead.
As a result, interception fragments fell in northern Eilat, and there were no casualties, Israeli media reported.
Jordan’s military intercepted three missiles, with the Iranian attack resulting in no casualties or damage, Jordanian state media reported, citing a military official.
IDF sources told The Jerusalem Post that Eilat was not hit by any missile and that the military is reviewing whether some shrapnel fell within Israeli territory. At least initially, sources did not appear to be jumping to any retaliation for the potential low-grade indirect damage.
An additional IDF source told the Post that no missile fragments fell within Israeli territory despite media reports to the contrary.
This is the first time that Iron Dome has been used against an Iranian aerial threat since the April 7 ceasefire, which included Israel, kicked in.
Until now, despite the ongoing lower-grade aerial exchanges between the US and Arab allies on one side, versus Iran on the other side, no aerial threats from the Islamic Republic had come near Israel in over three months.
No signs of Israeli counterattack
Even this latest move was clearly aimed at Jordan, and not Israel, and there was no immediate sign that Jerusalem would respond with a counterattack.
However, minutes before the interception, the IDF issued a warning to southern areas near the border with Jordan that residents in that area should be ready to enter safe areas should fragments fall in Israel.
Jerusalem Post Staff and Reuters contributed to this report.
