Israel's 'Iron Dome' Defense System Compared to U.S. NASAMS, Patriots

On October 7, 2023, Hamas, the organization that controls the Gaza Strip, launched a highly ambitious operation against Israel. This bold move, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, involved a surprise invasion by Hamas militants into Israeli territory, resulting in casualties and prisoners from Israel and other countries.

The success of their attack hinged on a massive rocket barrage, which unleashed up to 5,000 rockets within minutes and posed the most significant challenge to Israel's esteemed Iron Dome missile defense system.

But what is Iron Dome? How does it compare to other missile defense systems, like the United States Patriot and NASAMS? And how did Hamas actually manage to breach the Iron Dome when it has previously proven incapable of doing so?