Afrasianet - Israel faces a high financial cost as a result of the current military confrontation with Iran, with the daily cost of the war estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars, according to preliminary estimates.
Observers and experts tell the Wall Street Journal that these economic burdens could constrain Tel Aviv's ability to fight a protracted war.
According to experts, the largest item of expenditure is the interception of Iranian missiles, as the cost of using interceptors alone may range from tens of millions to $ 200 million per day, in addition to the costs of ammunition and warplanes, as well as the widespread destruction of buildings in cities such as Tel Aviv. Some estimates suggest that reconstruction could cost Israel at least $400 million so far.
This economic burden increases pressure on decision-makers in Tel Aviv to end the war as soon as possible, despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that military operations will not stop until their goals are achieved, foremost of which is the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program and the destruction of its missile arsenal.
Interception systems. Fantastic cost per rocket
In recent days, Iran has fired more than 400 rockets towards Israel, according to Israeli government statements. Intercepting these missiles requires the operation of high-tech air defense systems.
Yehoshua Kaleisky, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, says the cost of operating the David's Slingshot, which is used to intercept short- to medium-range missiles and drones, is about $700,000 per interception using two missiles, the usual minimum.
The Arrow 3 system, designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, costs about $4 million per interception, while the older Arrow 2 version costs about $3 million each.
In addition, Israel incurs huge expenses for operating its warplanes, especially F-35 fighter jets flying at distances of up to 1,000 miles from Israeli territory. The cost of operating one aircraft is about $10,000 per hour, excluding the costs of refueling and ammunition, including JDAM and MK84 smart bombs.
Zvi Eckstein, head of the Aaron Institute for Economic Policy at Reichmann University, said: "The cost of a war with Iran per day far outweighs previous wars in Gaza or against Hezbollah, mainly because of the cost of ammunition, both defensive and offensive."
His institute estimated that if the war lasted for a month, the total cost could reach $12 billion.
Civilian Damage and Critical Infrastructure
Iran's missile strikes have severely damaged Israel's civilian infrastructure. Structural engineer Eyal Shalev reported that hundreds of buildings were damaged or completely destroyed, noting that repairing one newly built tower in Tel Aviv could require tens of millions of dollars.
More than 5,000 people have been evacuated from their homes due to the damage, some staying in hotels at state expense, according to Israel's public diplomacy body.
Iran has also targeted critical infrastructure, with northern Israel's largest oil refinery hit twice directly, shutting it down and killing three of its employees. Workers in sensitive facilities have also been told not to go to work at this time.
Source: Wall Street Journal