Israel’s vaunted air‑defence shield is facing its sternest test yet after Iran unleashed a multi‑wave barrage of ballistic missiles at the heart of the country, forcing Iron Dome and higher‑tier systems to fight at full capacity for hours, military officials say.

Shortly after midnight, early‑warning radars lit up with launch signatures from western and central Iran: Shahab, Ghadr and heavier Khorramshahr‑class missiles arcing toward Tel Aviv, Haifa and key Negev bases. Arrow and David’s Sling moved first, engaging high‑alтιтude threats, while Iron Dome batteries around major cities scrambled to catch leakers and shorter‑range rounds.

The skies over Gush Dan turned into a lattice of fire — bright interceptor trails, mid‑air detonations, and glowing fragments cascading toward the ground. The IDF says the “vast majority” of warheads were destroyed before reaching populated areas, but concedes several impacts and large debris fields in industrial zones and near transport hubs, with dozens injured and significant property damage.

Analysts warn that Iran is probing for the breaking point: mixing missile types, launch angles and decoys to stretch Israel’s magazines, radar coverage and crew endurance. “Iron Dome is holding, but it’s being driven to the red line,” one defence source admits.

For Israelis huddled in stairwells and shelters, the question is no longer academic. After tonight’s barrage, many are asking: Iron Dome can blunt the blow — but if Iran keeps firing at this tempo, how long before even the world’s most famous shield starts to show real cracks?