Watch: How Israel's Iron Dome intercepted multiple rockets fired by Hezbollah mid-air

Sirens alarmed in Haifa and nearby areas in northern Israel on Monday as Hezbollah fired multiple rockets into Israeli airspace. The attack was in retaliation to the Israeli defence forces (IDF) bombing the Iran-backed militant group's hideouts in Lebanon, marking Hezbollah's deadliest day in decades.

However, Israel's iron dome came to the rescue yet again as it "intercepted majority of rockets" fired by Hezbollah.Approximately 180 projectiles and one unmanned aerial vehicle crossed into Israeli airspace over the course of the day in various parts of the country's north, the Israeli army said in a statement.
The Israeli military also warned its citizens to expect incoming missiles and drones launched by Hezbollah, with air alert sirens sounding across Haifa and Carmel in the country’s north.

Hezbollah’s wave of strikes came as response to the IDF’s 300 airstrikes on Hezbollah targets that left approximately 500 people dead and thousands injured. The Lebanese health ministry said that 492 people were killed, including 35 children and 58 women including 35 children and 58 women. Thousands of people fled southern Lebanon, blocking the route to Beirut in the biggest exodus since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. More than 1,645 people were wounded in the strikes, the health ministry added.

It is also reported that a top Hezbollah military commander and more than a dozen important military officials were killed during the Israeli strikes.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu appealed to the people of Lebanon and said it was Hezbollah who had endangered their security.

“Hezbollah has been using you as human shields. It placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garage,” he said.
“Don’t let Hezbollah endanger your lives and the lives of your loved ones.
What is the iron dome?
The Iron Dome was designed to intercept low-tech rockets fired by Hamas from Gaza. Developed by Israel's state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with US support, it became operational in 2011. Each unit, which is truck-towed, uses radar-guided missiles to neutralize short-range threats like rockets, mortars, and drones.

A critical feature of the Iron Dome is its ability to distinguish between threats and non-threats. The Iron Dome is engineered to identify, assess, and intercept rockets that threaten populated regions or vital infrastructure. It relies on radar to detect incoming threats and uses an advanced computer system to evaluate whether the projectile will strike a location that requires interception.

The system became operational in 2011 and was first stationed near Be'er Sheva, Israel, to defend against rocket attacks from Gaza. During Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, the group fired thousands of rockets.