IDF Suspends Iron Dome Purchases

According to a Yediot Ahronot reported Sunday, the IDF has suspended its Iron Dome purchases due to "budget cuts".

The IDF currently has three batteries of the rocket defense system and is scheduled to receive a fourth in the near future. The IDF work plan originally called for an array of nine Iron Dome batteries.

Defense officials stressed that the Iron Dome is critical to Israel's defense in the event of a multi-front conflagration, and released a statement saying that "[t]he current budgetary reality does not afford (us) to complete the batteries' acquisition. The matter will be presented to the government soon."