Jerusalem, 1 February, 2022 (TPS) — Prime Minister Naftali Bennet declared that the IDF will implement a laser interception system, within about a year. The new system will replace the current Iron Dome missile defense system and cost much less to operate.

Bennett made the announcement while addressing Israel’s 15th annual conference of the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv Tuesday.

“This will allow us,” he said, “in the medium to long term, to surround Israel with a laser wall that will protect us from missiles, rockets, UAVs and other threats and in fact take from the enemy the strongest card he has against us.”

The PM explained that today a rocket launched out of Gaza at Israeli civilian areas costs only a few hundred dollars to make, but the Iron Dome anti-missiles used to bring down such a rocket cost Israel thousands of dollars. He called this an illogical equation that allows terrorists to launch more and more Qassams at Israel while the country spends millions, even billions, to defend itself.

“This will allow us, in the medium to long term, to surround Israel with a laser wall that will protect us from missiles, rockets, tortoises and other threats and in fact take from the enemy the strongest card it has against us,” said Bennett.

“The equation will be reversed,” he declared. “They will invest a lot and us a little. If it is possible to intercept a missile or rocket with an electric pulse that costs a few dollars, we are actually nullifying the ring of fire that Iran has set up on our borders.”