Israel, US Test Arrow 2 Interceptor on Target Mimicking Iran's Shahab 3 Missile

The Israel Defense Ministry and the United States Missile Defense Agency tested the Arrow 2 interceptor system Wednesday night,

The test, led by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel Missile Defense Organization, the US Missile Defense Agency and the Israeli Air Force, took place at a test site in central Israel, according to a tweet from the Israeli MOD.

The Arrow 2 system, which is designed to intercept long-range missiles, is part of the Arrow Weapon System. During the test it successfully intercepted a Sparrow simulated long-range, surface-to-surface missile, which officials believe is similar to Iran's Shahab 3 medium-range ballistic missile.

Israeli Defense Minister Bnei Gantz said that “Israel faces far and near challenges, and our technology patrol, led by Mapat, the aerospace industry and the defense industries, ensures that we are always one step ahead of our enemies and defend the State of Israel."

Iran has been ratcheting up its missile prowess in recent weeks claiming that it can hit any target of the "enemy" in the Middle East including US bases and Israel. The test looks intended to send a message to Tehran that its missiles can be intercepted.