The Bottom Line Upfront

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted the failure of Iran's recent attack on Israel, summarizing it as weak and ineffective.

"They should be questioning the effectiveness of their weapons systems and planning," Austin said, as he was quoted by the Turkish state media outlet, Anadolu Agency. Austin noted that the systems "don't work as advertised."

"A lot of lessons have been learned," Austin said, as Anadolu Agency quoted.

Despite some missiles hitting Israeli airbases, many were intercepted or fell harmlessly in the Negev desert.

The Breakdown

  • Austin's comments highlight that the United States is both confident in Israel's ability to defend itself, and confident that allied weapons systems can efficiently act as a deterrent to potential escalatory attacks from Iran. It also underscores the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel in the region.
  • Iran launched its first-ever direct attack on Israel on April 13, using drones and missiles.
  • The majority of the missiles were intercepted by Israeli anti-air defenses, with assistance from the US and Western allies.
  • Some intact missiles have been found in the Negev desert, far from their intended targets.