US to Provide $680 Million for Israel Iron Dome Anti-Missile System 

(MENAFN - Qatar News Agency) The United States would spend an additional 680 million through 2015 to strengthen Israel's short-range rocket shield under a plan crafted by the Republicans from the House of Representatives, two congressional staff members disclosed.

Israel has so far deployed three operating units of the system. It has spoken of needing a total of 13 or 14 units to protect various fronts, the Israeli daily (Haaretz) reported Saturday.

There was no immediate official comment from the Obama administration on Republican plans to seek 680 million starting in the current fiscal year through fiscal 2015. It is not clear how the administration will view the proposal.

The matter may come up when panels of the US House Armed Services Committee start crafting their version of the 2013 Defense Authorization Act next week or, failing that, when the full committee writes its bill in May.

So far, the United States has provided 205 million to support the Iron Dome effort, manufactured by Israel's state-owned Raphael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. The system uses small radar-guided missiles to blow up in midair Katyusha-style rockets with ranges of 5 km (3 miles) to 70 km (45 miles), as well as mortar bombs.

A Republican congressional aide said the proposed additional 680 million would provide the batteries and interceptors needed to defend Israel, based on the current coverage and the arsenal available to Hamas and Hezbollah.

This year, Obama's budget requests 3.1 billion in security assistance to Israel, part of a 10-year, 30 billion US commitment to the Jewish state's security. None of that is scheduled to fund Iron Dome.

Top Republicans have criticized Obama for what they described as inadequate funding of US-Israeli missile defense cooperation in his 2013 budget request released in February amid deficit-reduction requirements. (QNA)