Israel’s Defense Ministry signed a major procurement agreement on Thursday to accelerate production of the Iron Dome air defense system, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced.

The contract with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will deliver a substantial quantity of Iron Dome interceptors to the Israeli Air Force. The deal is funded through a $5.2 billion allocation from an $8.7 billion U.S. aid package Congress approved in April 2024.

Iron Dome, developed in Israel and manufactured in collaboration with the U.S., defends against short- and medium-range rockets, missiles and drones. The system has demonstrated high interception rates during recent conflicts, intercepting thousands of threats from Gaza, Lebanon and other areas.