An investigation by the Israeli Air Force found that a “technical error” affected the activity of the Iron Dome air defence system during the escalation with Gaza early this week, Anadolu News Agency reports.
According to the Times of Israel news website, the technical error caused failure in intercepting rockets before they landed in populated areas.
The website, which quoted an Israeli military statement, reported that the error was fixed “immediately” by the Israeli Air Force and that the next day, early on Wednesday it did not recur when more rockets were fired.
READ: Israel deploys fourth Iron Dome near Gaza
The statement also noted that the Iron Dome interception rate of rockets heading for populated areas in the last 2-day round of escalation was 90.5 per cent.
The latest escalation erupted following the Tuesday announcement of the death of Palestinian detainee, Khader Adnan, after 86 days of hunger strike in Israeli jails.
Palestinian groups in Gaza fired barrages of rockets into Israeli areas, prompting Israeli airstrikes on several locations in Gaza.
Iron Dome is a mobile all-weather air defence system designed to intercept short-range missiles and rockets. It was developed by Israel’s defence technology firm, Rafael, and has been in use by the Israeli military for years.
READ: US Congress approves $351m in aid to Israel’s Iron Dome
Montather Rassoul