THIS is the jaw-dropping moment Israeli defence forces blast an Iranian ballistic missile out of space.
Captured by awestruck bystanders on the ground, a spectacular blue and purple glow can be seen expanding across the night sky above Israel.
The colourful plasma comes just an instant after the oncoming rocket was blown up by the lethal Arrow 3 – an Israeli long-range air defence system.
The deadly system is designed to strike threats outside the Earth‘s atmosphere.
The Israeli exo-atmospheric system can be launched more than 60 miles in altitude, which is considered the edge of space.
It comes as…
Several locations across central Israel were damaged by falling debris but luckily there were no reported injuries.
It comes as Iran unleashed two ballistic missiles towards UK-US base Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands on Friday.
It’s new proof that the rogue state is capable of reaching distances further than originally thought.
While one of the missiles failed in flight, the other was intercepted by a US warship, sources claimed.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) said: “The Iranian terrorist regime poses a global threat. Now, with missiles that can reach London, Paris or Berlin.”
Hours after the strike, Iran declared it had “missile dominance…over the skies of the occupied territories” and warned its “new tactics and launch systems” would leave the US and Israel “astonished”.
Mad mullahs made the daring assault after issuing a chilling threat that British lives were “at risk” for granting the US use of the base on Friday.
Meanwhile, Britain was branded a “laughing stock” as it was revealed the UK has just one operational destroyer capable of intercepting Iranian missiles.
The “shameful” state of the UK’s air defence capabilities has been laid bare by experts.
Analysts have warned the UK has a shockingly small number of defensive weapons in its arsenal to intercept a ballistic missile from Iran or Russia.
The UK currently has six warships able to intercept missiles from a range of threats – including Tehran’s mad mullahs and bloodthirsty Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin – but four are out of service.
HMS Dragon is making a painstaking journey to the Mediterranean after dithering Keir Starmer finally green-lit the deployment after days of umming and ahhing.
Iran’s reeling regime has also threatened to blitz holiday destinations within its reach just as spring holidays get underway.
IRGC bloodhound General Abolfazl Shekarchi said: “From now on, based on the information we have about you, even parks, recreational areas, and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe for you.”
Iran’s deadly arsenal includes the Shahab-3 with a range of 1,300km, and the Khorramshahr which was thought to have had a range up to 3,000km.
However, it is now being reported that the missiles’ reach was severely underestimated and could top 4,000 km.
The Iranian missiles launched at Diego Garcia did not hit the base, which is around 2,500 miles from its territory.
One of the rockets was targeted by an interceptor fired from an American warship while the other failed in flight, US sources told the Wall Street Journal.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “Iran’s reckless attacks, lashing out across the region and holding to ransom the Strait of Hormuz, are a threat to British interests and British allies.
“RAF jets and other UK military assets are continuing to defend our people and personnel in the region.
“This government has given permission to the US to use British bases for specific and limited defensive operations.”
