Israeli defense chief says it will take years to fully deploy new rocket defense

Israel: Years before new rocket defense ready

JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister says it will take years before the country’s new rocket defense system will be fully deployed along borders with Gaza and Lebanon.

But Defense Minister Ehud Barak predicts that once in place, the Iron Dome system would significantly reduce hostilities.

Israel has had no system to guard it against the thousands of rockets that militants rained down on its southern and northern borders over the years. Millions of Israeli civilians are within range of these rockets.

Barak said Monday that Iron Dome would “save time of fighting and deter in many cases a potential enemy from really launching an attack.”