Israeli officials say a new joint missile-defence system has been successfully tested and will be operational next year.
The system was developed in partnership with the US, and has been nicknamed "David's Sling" -- in reference to the biblical story of David and Goliath. It's designed to intercept medium-range missiles fired towards Israel, particularly from Hezbollah in Gaza.
The Israeli Defence Ministry has called the successful testing a "major milestone." It's part of an upgrade to what Israel says will be a "multi-layer" missile defence system, which can stop missiles from as far away as Iran. Israel currently operates a missile defense shield, known as the "Iron Dome".