An amusing coincidence last week resulted in perfect timing. Just as Israel and the United States were conducting a test series of the Israeli-American Arrow-3 missile defense system, intercepting three missiles over Alaska (completed on July 28), Iran tested on July 24 a Shahab-3 missile over a distance of nearly 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from the south of the country toward an area east of Tehran in the north. Within a week, events in the airspace between Tehran and Alaska encapsulated the essence of the accelerated scientific-technological battle between Israel and Iran. The international battle of wits spans two decades, with the Israeli-American side currently in the lead. But the campaign is hardly over.

“We needed Alaska’s airspace to create a real test and put the system’s capabilities to a tough test,” a senior Israeli official involved in development of the Arrow-3 told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “In order to launch a target missile that would simulate a ballistic missile in outer space, we needed the expanses of Alaska,” he said. Israel’s Missile Defense Organization director Moshe Patel explained that it would have been difficult to conduct such tests over the Mediterranean as Israel has in the past. “Arrow-3 intercepted target missiles three times at great altitudes, out of Earth’s atmosphere, during a 10-day period under difficult conditions. The intercepts were perfect and the hits were precise. Due to the great altitude, the missile’s warheads were ground to dust that dissipated. It was unbelievable to watch.”

Although development of the Arrow system technology began in the late 1980s, and the Arrow-3 version was conceived over a decade ago, Israel and the United States issued celebratory statements lauding the tests. Israel’s Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer flew secretly to Alaska to watch the last phase of the tests. At the same time, in an unusual move, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman sat in on the regular Sunday weekly Cabinet meeting on July 28, at which the ministers were briefed in detail about the tests.

The party may be somewhat over the top due to the approaching Sept. 17 elections in Israel, but the technological achievement must not be underestimated. Israel and the United States now have the ability to intercept to an almost completely precise extent incoming ballistic missiles from outer space at tremendous altitudes. “These types of missiles require absolute interception,” a senior Israeli defense source tells Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “We cannot make do with the impressive (80%-90%) interception rates of Iron Dome (Israel’s defense system against short- and medium-range missiles). In this case, we could be dealing with a nuclear threat, unconventional warheads, and Israel cannot afford even a single nuclear rocket.”