Israeli defence firms are developing new short-range missile defence systems to protect civilians and military bases in border areas under threat.

The IDF’s Iron Dome has proved capable of intercepting the majority of missiles but is less effective at dealing with rockets and mortar rounds fired from under four miles away.

While the systems in current use, Iron Dome and Arrow 2, and those in advanced stages of testing, David’s Sling and Arrow 3, all use interceptor missiles, a shorter-range system will most likely require a high-energy laser beam in order to hit its target in the short time available.

The state-owned Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, which developed Iron Dome, is proposing such an interceptor and will present it next month at the Singapore Aerospace show.