Experts estimate that Israel’s interception operations alone are costing about $200 million on a daily basis
News Desk - The Cradle
Interceptor missiles used to shoot down Iranian ballistic missiles have been the most expensive, along with ammunition, aircraft, and the widespread destruction caused by missile attacks, which has been called “unprecedented.”
This could affect how long Israel’s campaign against Iran will last, according to the experts.
“The main factor which will really determine the cost of the war will be the duration. If it is a week, it is one thing. If it is two weeks or a month it is a very different story,” Karnit Flug, former Bank of Israel governor and senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute think tank.
Over 400 ballistic missiles have been fired by Iran at Israel since Tel Aviv launched its war on the country on 13 June.
Israel uses its Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow 3 systems to try to intercept as many of the daily missile launches as it can.
Experts estimate interception operations alone cost up to $200 million per day.
Each time the David’s Sling system is activated, it costs around $700,000, according to Yehoshua Kalisky, a senior researcher at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies. However, this is assuming that only two interceptors are used, which is the minimum number.
Kalinsky added that each interception by the Arrow system costs approximately $4 million.
The damage caused by the missiles that make impact has also been significantly costly.
On 14 June, dozens of Iranian ballistic missiles struck several sites in Tel Aviv and Haifa. Among the targets was the Weizmann Institute of Science in the city of Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, which is often described as Israel’s equivalent of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Video footage released by RT on Thursday showed the massive amount of destruction inflicted on the institute.
The institute estimates that the damage from Iran’s missile strike on its main laboratory stands at around two billion shekels ($570 million). The attack severely damaged three major research buildings and partially affected many others, with around 45 laboratories impacted.
The figure reflects only infrastructure losses, and not the immense scientific toll, which includes destroyed rare materials, irreplaceable samples, and years of unfinished research. Rebuilding will cost tens of millions per lab.
Iran has continued to launch strikes on a daily basis since 13 June. Entire buildings have been destroyed or severely damaged, and thousands of Israelis have been rendered homeless.
At least 15,000 homes have been damaged by Iranian ballistic missiles.
“To date, the Compensation Fund call centers have received 9,900 claims since the beginning of the operation,” the Israeli Tax Authority said earlier this week. “Of these, 8,549 claims were for structural damage, 668 for vehicle damage, and 683 for damage to contents and other property.”
Between 13 June and 16 June, Iran’s missile attacks resulted in damages estimated at around one billion shekels ($277 million).
Security risks for major international companies that operate in Israel also pose a threat to the economy.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported on 20 June that shipping giant Maersk has suspended trips to Haifa port due to the risk of Iranian strikes.
Israel’s largest oil refinery was forced to shut down on 16 June after an Iranian missile strike caused extensive damage to the Bazan Group’s Haifa complex, killing three workers and disabling its main power station.
The Bazan complex supplies nearly 60 percent of Israel’s diesel and close to half of its gasoline.
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