JERUSALEM, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Israel's navy is testing a missile defense system to counter the growing anti-ship capabilities of Hamas and Hezbollah, a report says.
The missile systems will be fitted in the navy's small patrol boats tasked with enforcing the blockade on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon during war, The Jerusalem Post reported Sunday.
The new system uses radar to detect and track incoming missiles and electronic warfare systems to jam missile signals and divert the missiles from their intended targets, the report said.
The system is being developed by MAFAT, the Defense Ministry's Research and Development directorate, the newspaper said.
The report noted that until now, the navy's larger missile ships have been equipped with such defense systems and not the smaller patrol boats.
The decision to arm the smaller boats with anti-missile systems stems from concern for the growing anti-ship capabilities owned by Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and the fear that the anti-tank missiles possessed by the two terror organizations could be used to target Israeli vessels, the report said.
