The Iron Beam anti-air laser system is actually useful—though not nearly as useful as some conspiracy theorists give it credit for.

In recent years, “Jewish space lasers” has become shorthand for any and all absurd and extremist conspiracy theories, especially those seen as being anti-Semitic in nature.

The term originated from the false claim made by then-Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene that the 2018 California wildfires had been caused by space-based solar generators controlled by the influential Rothschild family. She didn’t specifically use the words “Jewish space lasers,” but her detractors did, and the term stuck.

There is no evidence that space-based solar generators caused the wildfires—a point MTG now acknowledges. Yet there are actually Israeli lasers, or directed energy weapons (DEWs), and they have been weaponized.

The lasers—Israel’s “Iron Beam” system—aren’t space-based (yet), and they aren’t starting wildfires. Instead, they were reportedly used this week to intercept Hezbollah rockets fired at northern Israel from neighboring Lebanon. Armchair analysts on social media noted that several of Hezbollah’s rockets had exploded just after lift-off, which they speculated was due to high-powered lasers striking the weapons.

“No longer a ‘Conspiracy Theory,'” wrote Wall Street Apes on X (formerly Twitter), an account that shares MAGA-friendly news and information—implying that the “space lasers” had been at play.

“Israel just used a Directed Energy Weapon (DEWs),” the post added. “During Biden’s term the media worked relentlessly to Fact Check these weapons as conspiracy theories.”

We Don’t Know Exactly What the Iron Beam Did

There are a few important points to unpack here. As noted, the “Jewish Space Lasers” conspiracy theory claimed space-based lasers started the devastating 2018 fires in the Golden State. In fact, the primary cause of those fires was faulty electric transmission lines operated by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), a California public utility notorious for lapses in safety. A high-voltage line broke from a transmission tower and showered sparks onto the dry brush. The hot, dry summer of 2018 and a below-average wet season created ideal conditions for the ensuing fires.

It is also no secret that Israel has been developing DEWs and ground-based mobile lasers to counter missiles and other airborne threats.

This is why we know that the DEWs used to counter some of the rockets fired by Hezbollah were part of the new “Iron Beam” laser air defense system, and that it is tied to the Iron Dome, which is also just part of Israel’s multi-layered air defenses. Iron Dome is designed to counter short-range threats, and lasers could play a key role in that.

As The Jerusalem Post explained, “Lasers are inexpensive to use, meaning that they can help cut down on the cost of using large numbers of missile interceptors to take down threats such as the relatively cheap Iranian-made Shahed-136 drone. The arms race for cheap systems matters.”

The report added that the “promise of lasers has now arrived,” but acknowledged that there are still limitations to be overcome.

Israel’s Lasers Are Going Airborne

Iron Beam isn’t space-based, and likely never will be, for the reasons already laid out. Lasers have a limited range, and putting them in space wouldn’t be the best place to stop incoming rockets. A space-based laser could be used to target satellites and other objects in orbit, but not to target short-range rockets—which remain Israel’s overriding security concern.

That doesn’t mean the Iron Beam lasers need to be ground-based. They may not be space-based, but they could be airborne.

“Mounting a laser on an airplane or drone can expand the capabilities of the system greatly because it can hover over areas and project the laser from the sky, rather than from the ground,” The Jerusalem Post added.

Aerial-based lasers aren’t just mobile, but by being airborne, they can evade other terrestrial impediments like buildings, trees, and terrain. They can also move around inclement weather, such as cloud cover, fog, and even dust, which would otherwise block the light and render the lasers ineffective.

Other Countries Are Also Investing in Laser Weapons

The US military has been investing in lasers on and off for decades, and continues to attempt to overcome the hurdles to make the weapons truly effective.

The UK’s Royal Navy is now testing its DragonFire DEW, which plans to make it operational on warships starting in 2027.

The biggest issues with lasers are still the required power source and the range. Lasers can intercept a threat only in the final minutes of a rocket, missile, or drone’s flight. If the laser doesn’t get the job done, there are limited fallbacks to stop the threat.

“Even if you mounted lasers on a plane or drone, you’d have to hunt down the [threat] to shoot it with a laser,” The Jerusalem Post noted. Even then, it takes several seconds to lock on to a target and then maintain the laser beam to burn a critical part of the target. A single laser system can’t fire multiple beams, so multiple laser platforms would be needed to counter drone swarms and other threats.

That explains why lasers, including those in the Iron Beam, are just one part of a comprehensive air defense system and will likely remain so for years to come.

Unfortunately, Iron Beam will also likely serve as “proof” to some believers that “Jewish Space Lasers” are indeed real, even as that certainly isn’t the case.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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