As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss Iran and regional security, a new report highlighted potential vulnerabilities in the U.S. missile defense strategy known as Golden Dome. The report, from the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), warns that Golden Dome’s current focus on costly space-based missile defense systems could leave American cities, military bases, and critical infrastructure exposed to increasingly frequent drone and cruise missile attacks.

Titled "The Missing Shield: Acquiring Israeli Air Defenses Makes Golden Dome Sustainable," the report argues that funding priorities favor long-range and space-based capabilities that may take years to deploy, while insufficiently addressing lower-altitude, short-range threats such as drones and cruise missiles. Ari Cicurel, the report’s author, told Fox News Digital that while long-range defenses are necessary, they should not come at the expense of systems capable of countering immediate threats.

"Right now the current approach is spending the time and money primarily on space, long range threats, which are absolutely needed," Cicurel said. "But the most frequent and immediate threats are actually short range projectiles, particularly drones. And that’s certainly the most frequent threat that the U.S. needs to be addressing."

The report points to Israel’s Iron Dome system, which intercepts rockets and drones, as a proven technology that could enhance Golden Dome’s layered defense. A Pentagon official stated, "Golden Dome for America continues to focus its efforts on protecting America and delivering on President Trump’s vision for homeland defense." The official added that the implementation plan remains "dynamic" and aims to defend against "the full spectrum of evolving threats," including hypersonic and ballistic missiles, advanced cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial systems.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that a national missile-defense system consistent with Trump’s executive order could cost approximately $1.2 trillion over 20 years to develop, deploy, and operate.

Separately, the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, reportedly targeting the Iranian supreme leader, with Iran retaliating by firing missiles at Gulf states and Israel.

Sources