Operation Am Kelavi: Israel Reports 86% Missile Interception Success, Over 1,000 UAVs Downed

Israel’s air-defense network recorded more than 86% success in intercepting ballistic missiles and shot down over 1,000 unmanned aircraft during the war with Iran, known as Operation Am Kelavi, senior defense officials said Wednesday at the UVID (Unmanned Vehicles Israel Defense) 2025 conference,  Israel’s leading international conference on unmanned systems, bringing together global defense officials, industry leaders and UAV experts.

The figures were presented by Moshe Fatal, head of development at the Homa Directorate, the unit responsible for Israel’s missile-defense systems. Fatal said the war provided the most comprehensive real-time test of Israel’s multi-layered defense structure to date. “During Operation Am Kelavi we achieved over 86% success in intercepting ballistic missiles and brought down more than a thousand UAVs,” he said.

Fatal noted that the coordinated Israeli–American defensive systems played a critical role. “Against the UAV threats, we had more than 99% success thanks to the Air Force’s aerial array and our cooperation with our American partners,” he said. He emphasized that Israel is designing systems not only to counter current threats but to preempt future ones. “We are not only responding — we are building a system that stays ahead of the threat and creates defensive superiority. Our multi-layered defense can provide an integrated response to ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, rockets, and UAVs with unprecedented precision and integration.”

UVID 2025, now in its 13th year, gathered thousands of defense experts from more than 20 countries and 100 aerospace and security firms. The event serves as the central meeting point for the international unmanned-systems industry, featuring military panels, technology demonstrations and new strategic partnerships.

Alongside the operational data, the conference highlighted Israel’s long-term ambitions in the UAV sector. Elinor Jacobson, head of the Defense and Cyber Cluster at the Economy Ministry’s Growth Directorate, said the industry is evolving into a strategic engine for Israeli economic resilience. “By 2032 Israel will become one of the world’s five leading UAV producers, and by 2045 it will export one trillion dollars’ worth to global markets. This is not an aspiration — it is a measurable target,” she said.

She added that increasing local production is “critical to reducing dependence on external suppliers and serves as a pillar of national and economic security,” noting that the Israeli economy continues to show “a picture of contrasts” amid security pressures and ongoing conflict.