Baena was known for writing and directing comedic independent movies like "Life After Beth," "The Little Hours," and "Horse Girl."

Many of them starred his wife, Aubrey Plaza.

He also wrote the 2004 movie "I Heart Huckabees" with director David O. Russell.

Baena died by suicide on January 3.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

Baker was known for his tough guy roles, playing heroes and villains with equal intensity for close to four decades.

The Texas native found stardom in 1973 playing the real-life moonshine-busting Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser in the surprise hit "Walking Tall."

A string of memorable roles utilizing his intimidating presence followed. He played a crooked cop opposite Chevy Chase in the 1985 hit comedy "Fletch," teamed up with Nick Nolte to try to stop a crazed Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of "Cape Fear," and, between those movies, played a fictional version of Babe Ruth opposite Robert Redford in the 1984 sports classic "The Natural."

Baker also has the distinction of playing both a villain (1987's "The Living Daylights") and a good guy (1995's "GoldenEye," 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies") in the James Bond franchise.

Baker died on May 7. No cause was given.

Burrell was a Food Network star known for her spiky platinum hair and her enthusiasm for the culinary arts. After getting her start in Italian restaurants in New York City, she rose to fame after appearing as a sous chef to Mario Batali on "Iron Chef America."

She soon became a staple on the Food Network, appearing on "Chef Wanted," "Chopped," and "Food Network Star," and hosting the Emmy-nominated "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and "Worst Cooks in America."

Burrell died on June 17; no cause was given.

Button was one of the greats in men's figure skating.

His dominance in the sport began in the late 1940s, when he began winning on the amateur circuit by landing moves no one had ever seen done before in competition, including the double axel and the triple jump.

He would go on to win two Olympic gold medals and five consecutive world championships.

Once he retired, he went on to become an Emmy-winning analyst and even was one of the minds behind the popular 1970s competition show "Battle of the Network Stars," in which celebrities challenged one another in various sports competitions.

Button died on January 30. No cause was given.

A beloved actor on the stage and screen for decades, Chamberlain was the face of the acclaimed 1980s miniseries "The Thorn Birds" and "Shogun," both of which garnered him Emmy nominations.

He also found acclaim onstage, starring in revivals of "My Fair Lady" and "The Sound of Music."

In the 2000s, Chamberlain had memorable guest-starring roles on shows like "Will and Grace" and "Desperate Housewives."

Chamberlain died on March 29 of complications following a stroke.

For 50 years, fans of "General Hospital" knew Charleson as Dr. Monica Quartermaine, a role she played since 1977.

Charleson was beloved by fans and used her celebrity to support charities for breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS awareness.

Charleson's other credits include "Adam 12," "Barnaby Jones," "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Ironside," "Kung Fu," and "The Rockford Files."

She also starred in "Happy Days" and gave Ron Howard his first on-screen kiss.

Charleson died on January 12 following a long illness.

Faithfull was a fixture in the London music scene during the 1960s.

She was discovered by The Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, which led to her finding instant stardom not just for her chart-topping music, like "As Tears Go By," which became a top 5 single in the UK, but also for her hard-partying ways alongside her then-flame Mick Jagger.

Throughout the 1960s, she was the inspiration for Stones hits "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Wild Horses" while being a co-writer on "Sister Morphine." But she was also in a deep addiction to drugs. She was famously found wearing nothing but a fur rug during a 1967 drug bust at Keith Richards' Sussex home.

Faithfull made a comeback with the 1979 album "Broken English," which earned her a Grammy nomination.

Other hit songs include "This Little Bird," "Summer Nights," and "Come and Stay With Me."

She also starred in movies like 1967's "I'll Never Forget What's'isname" and 1968's "The Girl on the Motorcycle."

Faithfull died on January 30. No cause was given.

Flack's smooth R&B vocals made her a star in the 1970s with Grammy-winning hits like "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face," "Killing Me Softly with His Song," and "Feel Like Makin' Love."

Over her career, Flack scored six top-10 pop hits and 10 top-10 R&B singles. She was also the first artist to win the record of the year Grammy in two consecutive years, for 1973's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and 1974's "Killing Me Softly with His Song."

Flack was introduced to a new generation in the 1990s when The Fugees did a Grammy-winning cover of "Killing Me Softly" in 1996.

Flack died on February 24. No cause was given.

Foreman was a two-time heavyweight boxing champion, winning his titles in 1973 at the age of 24 and again in 1994 at the age of 45.

Foreman fought formidable legends throughout his long-lasting boxing career, including Muhammad Ali in 1974 — dubbed The Rumble in the Jungle, one of the most-watched televised sporting events of the time — and Evander Holyfield in 1991.

Toward the end of his career, Foreman became the face of Salton Inc.'s George Foreman Grill, making millions through his household name.

His family announced on social media that he died on March 21. No cause was given. Foreman was 76.

In an era of hip-hop where the producers were as prominent as the artists, Irv Gotti was one of the shining stars of the late 1990s and 2000s.

Gotti, who was born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. and later went by DJ Irv, came on the scene as A&R for Def Jam. He brought in artists that would define the next generation of hip-hop to the label like Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule.

His coming out party was producing one of Jay-Z's first hits, "Can I Live," from his 1996 debut album "Reasonable Doubt."

Soon after, his Irv Gotti persona was created when he founded the rap label Murder Inc. Records, bringing along artists like DMX and Ja Rule and signing others like Ashanti.

There he became the face of smash hits like Jay-Z's "Can I Get A…," DMX's "What's My Name," Ja Rule's "Holla Holla," Fat Joe's "What's Luv?," Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real," and Ashanti's "Foolish."

In recent years, Gotti had suffered strokes and battled diabetes-related issues. He died on February 5. No cause was given.

Hackman was a superstar in the skin of a character actor.

From his breakout in 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde" to his final movie, 2004's "Welcome to Mooseport," this skilled actor did it all with low-key confidence.

Even when he played the diabolical villain Lex Luthor in the Christopher Reeve "Superman" movies, Hackman's deft performance was never about upstaging other actors.

But audiences couldn't help but gravitate to him. Taking on roles in projects that would become classics like the gritty cop "Popeye" Doyle in "The French Connection," which earned him an Oscar; a surveillance expert in "The Conversation;" a tough but fair basketball coach in "Hoosiers;" and showing his comedy chops in "Get Shorty" and "The Birdcage," Hackman became beloved.

He abruptly retired in 2004 and spent the rest of his life writing novels and enjoying life with his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on February 26. An investigation is ongoing.

Katt started his career as a child actor landing roles in "Fantasy Island" and "CHiPs" in the 1980s, but it was the roles he played as an adult that would cement his legacy.

From "Dazed and Confused" to "Boiler Room," Katt often played the heel, and dispensing wiseass remarks with a dark stare became his signature.

Katt became a favorite of directors like Steven Soderbergh, who cast him in "The Limey" and "Full Frontal," and Christopher Nolan, who gave him parts in "Insomnia" and "The Dark Knight."

The actor also played the edgy teacher Harry Senate in the series "Boston Public."

Katt died on April 8. His family confirmed to Deadline that he died by suicide.

Val Kilmer was a quintessential movie star who delivered some of the most memorable performances in movie history.

As the hotshot flyer "Iceman" in 1986's Top Gun, he became a scene stealer who could hold his own against Tom Cruise.

From there, Kilmer shot to superstardom in movies like 1988's "Willow," Oliver Stone's 1991 biopic "The Doors," in which he played the band's legendary frontman Jim Morrison; 1993's "Tombstone," in which he played Doc Holliday; and Michael Mann's 1995 classic "Heat," in which he played a thief opposite Robert De Niro.

That same year, he would also become a major box office draw playing Batman in the 1995 movie "Batman Forever."

In 2014, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer and recovered, but his voice was permanently damaged from a tracheotomy.

His final movie appearance was reprising his Iceman role in 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick."

Kilmer died on April 1 of pneumonia.

As an MTV veejay in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ananda Lewis was a standout. After getting her start hosting BET's "Teen Summit," she moved over to MTV, hosting its hit shows "MTV Live," "Total Request Live," and "Hot Zone." She also had her own show, "The Ananda Lewis Show," which ran from 2001 to 2002.

In 2020, Lewis announced that she had been battling breast cancer for two years. Last October, she revealed her cancer had progressed to stage four. Lewis died on June 11.

Lynch was the visionary director of surrealist films like "The Elephant Man," "Blue Velvet," "Mulholland Drive," and the hit TV series "Twin Peaks."

His groundbreaking works blended elements of everything from horror to film noir to surrealism, creating a uniquely skewed vision of America.

After adapting Frank Herbert's "Dune" in 1984, resulting in a box office flop, Lynch produced a string of surrealist works that would define his career: 1986's "Blue Velvet," 1990's "Wild at Heart," 1992's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" (the prequel to his hit TV show "Twin Peaks," which ran from 1990 to 1991), and 1997's "Lost Highway."

Each title showcased Lynch's seemingly limitless creativity as he pushed the boundaries of narrative structure while dazzling the viewer with exquisite production design and cinematography.

The Lynch family announced his passing on January 16. In August 2024, the filmmaker announced that he had emphysema following decades of smoking, but said he hadn't smoked in over two years.

Playing memorable roles in Quentin Tarantino movies like "Reservoir Dogs," the "Kill Bill" movies, "The Hateful Eight," and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Madsen was known for his ultra-cool tough guy characters.

Outside of the Tarantino universe, he had memorable roles as a slick cop chasing an alien in 1995's "Species" and a mobster in 1997's "Donnie Brasco."

Madsen had close to 350 movie credits to his name, dating back to the 1980s with small roles in "The Natural," where he played an egotistical baseball player opposite Robert Redford, and a blink-and-you'd-miss-it part in the hit Matthew Broderick thriller "WarGames."

But the role he'll forever be known best for was playing the crook Mr. Blonde in Tarantino's 1992 masterpiece, "Reservoir Dogs." Sporting black shades, a black suit with a white shirt, and a skinny black tie, Madsen had the memorable line, "Are you gonna bark all day, little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" He also famously strutted to the song "Stuck in the Middle With You" while torturing a cop.

Madsen died on July 3 at his Malibu home. No cause was given.

After working as everything from a disc jockey to the host of a kids' sci-fi series to a chart-topping artist (with the 1959 spoken-word tune "Deck of Cards"), Wink Martindale found his true calling as a game show host in the 1960s.

His first was NBC's "What's This Song?" in 1964. Then in 1972 came his first hit, "Gambit." That was followed by the even more popular "Tic-Tac-Dough," which ran until the late 1980s.

Martindale went on to host other game shows through the decades like "High Rollers," "The Last Word," "The Great Getaway Game," "Trivial Pursuit," "Debt," and "Instant Recall."

Martindale died on April 15. No cause was given.

Moore's R&B sound influenced everyone from Michael Jackson to Bruce Springsteen.

Alongside Dave Prater, Moore found fame in the 1960s with Sam & Dave, a duo who had hits like "Hold On, I'm Comin'" and "Soul Man."

"Soul Man" would gain renewed popularity in the late 1970s when Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi began performing the song as their alter egos, R&B singers The Blues Brothers, on "Saturday Night Live." The song would continue to find new fans in 1980 when "The Blues Brothers" movie was released.

Moore went solo in 1970 and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Moore died on January 10 from complications while recovering from surgery.

Thanks to her stunning beauty, Page became a fixture in both French cinema and Hollywood through the 1960s.

She's best known for playing Madame Anais, the owner of a high-class brothel in Luis Buñuel's 1967 masterpiece "Belle de Jour."

In the movie, Anais oversees the actions of Catherine Deneuve's character Severine, a bored housewife who turns to prostitution to spice up her life. But she only works in the afternoon while her husband is away at work, leading to Anais calling her "Belle de Jour" ("Beauty of the Day").

Page also starred in "El Cid," the 1961 medieval epic also starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren, and Billy Wilder's 1970 film "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes."

Page died on February 14. No cause was given.

Stone was a member of the female hip-hop trio The Sequence, who is known for songs like "Funk You Up" and "Monster Jam."

She later launched a solo career in the late 1990s with her debut album, "Black Diamond." Her 2001 song, "Wish I Didn't Miss You," became one of her most popular songs.

Stone's publicist told TMZ that Stone died in a car crash on March 1 after performing in Montgomery, Alabama. The Grammy-nominated artist was traveling in a van with eight other people, including backup singers and crew, when it crashed on Interstate 65.

Stone, born Sylvester Stewart in California, was known as the founder and frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, a psychedelic-soul band active through the '60s, '70s, and early '80s. He was behind classic songs like "Dance to the Music" and "Everyday People."

In a statement distributed to the press, Stone's three children celebrated their father's "extraordinary musical legacy" and "enduring creative spirit."

"Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music," the family wrote. "His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable."

Stone's death was announced on June 9 after a prolonged battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Swit portrayed one of the most memorable characters in TV history, playing the head nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the legendary series "M*A*S*H."

Swit took over the role from Sally Kellerman, who originated the part in the 1970 Robert Altman movie the series is based on.

Her performance earned her 10 Emmy nominations and two wins. Swit and costar Alan Alda were the only two actors on the show who appeared in the pilot episode and the famed two-and-a-half-hour finale, which was seen by more than 100 million viewers.

Swit died on May 30 of natural causes.

Trachtenberg dedicated her life to acting and found fame in the process.

She landed her first major role in the mid-1990s as Nona F. Mecklenberg on the Nickelodeon series "The Adventures of Pete & Pete." In 1996, she played the lead in the Nickelodeon-produced movie "Harriet the Spy."

By the early 2000s, she had landed more mature roles in movies like the comedy "Euro Trip" and the indie drama "Mysterious Skin," both of which were released in 2004. At the same time, she was gaining fandom on the small screen playing Dawn Summers on "Buffy and the Vampire Slayer," and later appearing as Georgina Sparks on the hit CW series "Gossip Girl," which ran from 2007 to 2012.

Trachtenberg was found dead in a New York City apartment on February 26. A cause of death hasn't yet been determined.

This Atlanta rapper brought snap music to the masses thanks to his hit 2006 songs "Walk it Out" and "2 Step."

Anthony Platt, better known by his stage name DJ Unk, was a fixture in the Atlanta rap scene in the late 1990s. He DJed at everything from pep rallies to proms.

He released his first album, "Beat'n Down Yo Block!" in 2006 and found huge acclaim due to his two big hit songs, "Walk it Out" and "2 Step."

"Walk it Out" got as high as No. 10 on the Billboard charts and went platinum.

His second album, "2econd Season," was released in 2008 but didn't find the same acclaim as his debut.

In 2009, due to non-stop touring and hard partying, DJ Unk suffered a heart attack.

DJ Unk died on January 24. His wife, Sherkita Long-Platt, said in a Facebook post that he died in his sleep after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Uecker had a respectable career as a Major League Baseball backup catcher on four clubs through the 1960s, playing with his hometown Milwaukee Brewers and winning a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. But it was his work off the field that made him one of the most memorable figures in MLB history.

After retiring in 1967, Uecker started his second career as a broadcaster, calling games for the Brewers (which he did until his death) and being the color man for network games.

His self-deprecating style made him a likable figure, leading to him becoming a fixture on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson, where he earned the nickname "Mr. Baseball." Suddenly, Uecker landed everything from beer commercials to a hosting gig on "Saturday Night Live."

But his most memorable gigs outside of baseball were playing sportswriter George Owens on the hit TV show "Mr. Belvedere" from 1985 to 1990 and starring as sarcastic broadcaster Harry Doyle in the beloved 1989 movie "Major League" and its sequels.

Uecker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

He died on January 16 after battling small-cell lung cancer since 2023.

Through the 1980s, he sat on the corner at the bar where everybody knows your name. In the process, he became a TV icon.

As Norm Peterson, who always threw out a funny one-liner when he entered the bar on the hit TV series "Cheers," Wendt created one of the most memorable characters in TV history and garnered six consecutive Emmy nominations.

The Chicago native, who started his career in the 1970s at the famed Second City improv troupe, also landed roles in hit movies like "Fletch" (1985), "Gung Ho" (1986), and "The Little Rascals" (1994), and played the grumpy dad opposite Macaulay Culkin in Michael Jackson's 1991 music video for "Black or White."

Through the decades, Wendt was also a regular on "Saturday Night Live," playing a superfan of the Chicago Bears who called the team "Da Bears." (Wendt is the uncle of "SNL" alum Jason Sudeikis.)

Wendt died on May 20. No cause was given.

As a founding member of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson is responsible for mega hits that blended pop music with more modern, avant-garde sounds.

From 1962 to 1966, the Beach Boys had 10 top-10 hits and seven top-40 chart entries, most of which were written or co-written and produced by Wilson.

Along with classics like "Good Vibrations" and "Help Me, Rhonda," Wilson is also responsible for pushing the band's sound into new dimensions, particularly with the 1966 album "Pet Sounds." Its blend of pop, jazz, and avant-garde influences brought widespread critical acclaim and inspired The Beatles to make "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

Wilson struggled most of his life with mental illness, which was explored in the 2014 movie, "Love & Mercy" starring John Cusack and Paul Dano playing Wilson at different stages in his life.

Wilson's death was announced by his family in June. No cause was given. In February 2024, it was revealed Wilson was battling dementia.

Yarrow was a singer-songwriter who was a member of the iconic folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary.

Along with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers, the trio had six Billboard Top 10 singles, two No. 1 albums, and won five Grammys. Their major hit was "Puff the Magic Dragon," which Yarrow cowrote.

Yarrow died on January 7 after a battle with bladder cancer.

Although his name might not ring a bell, you have definitely seen Harris Yulin's work. Over his five-decade career, Yulin had many memorable roles in movies and TV, most notably as villains.

He played an angry judge in 1989's "Ghostbusters II" and a corrupt national security advisor opposite Harrison Ford in 1994's "Clear and Present Danger," but his all-time best villain role was playing the crooked cop Mel, who meets his fate thanks to Al Pacino's Tony Montana in the beloved 1983 gangster movie "Scarface."

Yulin died on June 10. No cause was given.

Earlier this week, Trump detailed his plans to build the "Golden Dome," previously known as the "Iron Dome for America," as defense contractors and tech companies already line up to be considered for development.

"We'll have it done in three years," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 21. "Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world."

While Israel's air defense network is considered one of the most advanced aerial defense systems in the world, the missile shield is responsible for defending a country roughly the size of the state of New Jersey — the second smallest US state — from short-range threats.

Trump aims to make the Golden Dome a space-based missile system to defend the US — about the size of continental Europe — against advanced ballistic and hypersonic missile threats from the world's most powerful countries. Russia has an estimated 4,300 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, each of which a system like Golden Dome must be capable of defeating, necessitating an even larger number of intercept missiles and other weapons.

"I think that this year, we're going to see a different national conversation about space," Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider.

About 15% of Israel's defense budget comes from the US. Since its founding in 1948, the US has sent Israel about $300 billion in economic and military aid, making it the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign aid.

Nearly all of the aid the US has sent in recent months has been allocated to its advanced defense systems and military equipment. But America's involvement in Israel's war in the Gaza Strip has grown controversial. The US is providing limited humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza while also providing military support and weapons to Israel.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

The most well-known of Israel's air defense systems, the Iron Dome, consists of a network of radar detectors and missile launchers used to intercept enemy fire, including short-range rockets and artillery.

Deployed in southern Israel in 2011 following the war between Israel and Hezbollah, the US helped and funded the development of the short-range rocket defense system. It contributed at least $1.6 billion to the Iron Dome system from 2011 to 2021, as well as another $1 billion in 2022.

The Israel Defense Forces said the objective of the Iron Dome is to "protect Israeli civilians from the constant threat of rockets by intercepting them." The IDF described the Iron Dome with three adjectives: "accuracy, speed, and capacity."

Armed with Tamir interceptor missiles, the multi-mission defense system can shoot down enemy rockets and artillery up to 43.5 miles away. The advanced missile system has a radar station that detects and tracks the course of enemy rockets before launching a missile to intercept them. The missiles track their target with electro-optical sensors and detonate in the air when close.

While the Iron Dome doesn't have a perfect interception record, it has blocked a majority of enemy fire in Israeli airspace, especially at times of intense barrages from Hamas militants.

But the Iron Dome is just one layer of what is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world.

Missiles have a much longer range than shells, but they also have the disadvantage of being expensive. The Tamir missiles fired by Iron Dome are estimated to each cost around $50,000.

The middle layer of Israel's Iron Dome defense system is David's Sling, a medium- to long-range air defense system designed to intercept missiles as far as 185 miles away.

Also known as the Magic Wand, the versatile missile system carries up to 12 interceptors. Its command and control center, known as the Golden Almond, provides threat assessment and plans and controls interception, complemented by the system's multi-mission radar used to detect and track airborne threats.

Developed in collaboration with the US and Israel, David's Sling is "a central factor in Israel's multi-tiered defense array," according to Israel's Ministry of Defense. It supports other layers of its air defense system by "tackling large-caliber rockets, short-range ballistic missiles," and other types of enemy fire.

The top layer of Israel's sophisticated air defense system is Arrow-3, which is capable of engaging targets at longer ranges and higher altitudes and more precisely intercepting ballistic missiles.

Arrow-3 interceptor operates with the Arrow Weapon System, the world's first operational, national, stand-alone anti-tactical ballistic missile defense system, according to Israel Aerospace Industries, the primary contractor for the AWS. The system was developed in partnership with Boeing and with significant funding from the United States.

Arrow-3 works in conjunction with its predecessor, Arrow-2, to intercept ballistic missiles and other warheads using a two-stage interceptor.

Arrow-3's "interceptor is a world-class missile that, together with the Arrow-2, significantly expands the State of Israel's defense capabilities," according to Israel's Ministry of Defense.

In November 2023, Israel confirmed the first operational use of the Arrow-3 to stop an inbound enemy missile launched by Houthi militants from Yemen, marking the first time all three layers of Israel's aerial defense were working simultaneously.

"All of these provide protection in every layer of aerial defense and enable optimal protection of the Israeli home front," the IDF said in a statement at the time.

Last October, Iran attacked Israel with a large barrage of ballistic missiles — a rare direct attack that came after a White House warning to its ally.

The missile attack came after the IDF killed the head of Hezbollah and then launched a "limited" ground offensive against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. At the time, the US adjusted its force posture in the Middle East, stationing a substantial force of warships and fighter aircraft across the region to defend Israel and its bases.

Israel also deployed Arrow 3 to intercept the drones and missiles Iran fired during its retaliatory attacks in mid-April last year.

Israel's chief military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told reporters at the time that Arrow 3 had "proved itself against a significant number of ballistic missiles" fired by Iran.

Israel's air defense system isn't just limited to land. The country also has a naval version of its Iron Dome system, mounting it aboard Israeli missile boats.

The naval version of the aerial defense system, known as C-Dome, is deployed aboard Sa'ar 6-class corvettes, four German-made warships ordered for Israel's navy.

In addition to the C-Dome, Sa'ar 6 vessels are also equipped with a 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid main gun, which is effective against close aerial threats.

After two years of development, Israel's military announced Monday that the seaborne defense system was used for the first time to intercept a "suspicious aerial target" that entered Israeli airspace near the city of Eilat, which has been frequently targeted by Houthis in Yemen in support of Hamas.

"Overnight, for the first time ever, an IDF Sa'ar 6-class corvette missile ship successfully intercepted a UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicle) that had approached from the east and had crossed into the area of the Gulf of Eilat," the IDF said.

In addition to the four Sa'ar 6-class corvettes, the Israeli naval fleet includes 11 other warships and five Dolphin-class submarines.

To further bolster its air defenses, Israel is also looking at a new "all-in-one" surface-to-air missile system called SPYDER, manufactured by Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

Israel, in collaboration with Rafael, is testing a new configuration for the weapons system, taking the missile launcher, radar, command and control system, and technology for surveillance and target acquisition, and fitting it to an eight-wheel drive vehicle.

"Developed to address the critical operational needs of the modern battlefield, the SPYDER AiO provides an agile, autonomous, air defense asset, capable of rapid deployment within minutes, in challenging terrains, and with short reaction times," according to a fact sheet from Rafael.

Designed to carry up to eight canisterised missiles, including I-Derby SR, I-Derby ER, and Python-5 SR, it can engage up to four targets at a time, with a maximum range of up to nearly 25 miles and an altitude of 7.4 miles, according to the fact sheet.

In January 2024, Israel's defense ministry announced a successful test run of the new weapons system configuration, which is capable of intercepting drones, aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and precision-guided munitions.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in April 2024 and has been updated in May 2025.