The Israeli army has employed various new weapons and technologies in its war on Gaza, including the highly effective "David's Sling" missile defense system, according to senior military sources in Tel Aviv.
The use of this new system is in line with Israel's ongoing pursuit of innovative military capabilities. It aligns with the commercial interests of Israeli government arms companies seeking to expand their weapons sales.
In previous years, the Israeli army conducted extensive or limited military operations once every three or four years, with specific goals, including introducing soldiers to practical training for direct warfare and conducting experiments on the performance of new weapons or ammunition.
However, since 2014, the army slowed the frequency of such operations due to tensions with Benjamin Netanyahu on several issues.
Military leaders were concerned the war would be harnessed to serve Netanyahu's interests and his battle with the judiciary.
In recent months, the army came under fire from the far right for its reluctance to launch a military operation.
Critics accused military leaders of cowardice and abandoning the fighting doctrine claiming they were lenient with Hamas and the Gaza Strip.
While the military believed that engaging in war could distract attention from mass protests against Netanyahu, this recent conflict has allowed experimentation with new weaponry and combat tools.
The security sources said the army employed alternative combat methods against Jihad in Gaza, including enhanced monitoring and communication devices.
The new methods facilitated efficient coordination between the army and intelligence, resulting in the simultaneous assassination of three Jihad leaders. Netanyahu claimed the operation was done within two seconds only.
Additionally, the Israeli forces used new advanced drones to assassinate Jihad leaders and strike several underground targets.
David's Sling mid-range air defense missile system was successfully deployed in operations.
It is designed to shoot down rockets fired from 100 km to 200 km (62 to 124 miles) away and is part of Israel's shield that already includes short-range Iron Dome and long-range Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 missiles.
David's Sling became operational in 2017. It is designed to intercept short-range ballistic missiles, larger-caliber rockets, cruise missiles, aircraft, and drones.
It uses the Stunner missile with a reported range of 25-186 miles (40-300 km) to hit its target, defeating them with kinetic force.
During the conflict, the system intercepted a Palestinian missile Wednesday over Tel Aviv's airspace, leading Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to describe the operation as "a success."
