Israeli PM to speed up rollout of lasers for missile defense

By LAURIE KELLMAN
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s prime minister says the country is speeding up the rollout of a “new generation” of missile defense technology to help protect the country from rocket attacks. Naftali Bennett told a security conference Tuesday that the new system will be unveiled within a year in the country’s south. That’s where Hamas launched more than 4,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip toward Israel during the 11-day war in May. Most were intercepted by the Iron Dome, which Bennett said Tuesday is too expensive. The U.S. last year spent $1 billion to replenish the system. Bennett’s speech marked the first time Israel has acknowledged a new system in development. Little is known about its effectiveness.