Enter "the Patriot" Era

(click all photos for full size)

This is the first time I’m seeing wire photos of Israel’s “Patriot”-style Iron Dome missile defense in operation. I just wish I had a better way to read these. Here (according to captions), we see the trail of an Israeli missile chasing a Palestinian rocket, and then two Patriot-style rockets in pursuit.

For greater orientation, here’s a launch.

And then, the most terrifying photo of the group (as much for the Israeli soldier getting off on it).

See the whole slideshow, and the human cost, via Telegraph: Israeli air strikes on Gaza and Palestinian rocket attacks.

(photo: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)