Israel deploys Patriot Missiles near Haifa; Leon Panetta outlines an aggressive agenda to prevent cyber attack
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    • Reports noted that Israel has deployed Patriot anti-missile batteries near the northern port city of Haifa. The Patriot system is capable of intercepting both aircraft and missiles. An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed that the U.S.-made missiles, which can shoot down drones, had been stationed near Haifa but refused to confirm the move was related to the October 6 infiltration, when an unidentified drone infiltrated the country’s airspace. It would be worth noting that on October 6, Israeli fighter jets had shot down the unarmed drone over the northern Negev desert, after it entered the country’s airspace from the Mediterranean Sea near the Gaza Strip. 1

    In another development, according to reports, the United States is mulling over a new Cyber Doctrine, focusing on preemption strategy. The US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta outlined an aggressive agenda to prevent cyber attacks on USA and sees deterrence as an important mission for the department of defence. “Our mission is to defend the nation,” he stated. “We defend. We deter. And if called upon, we take decisive action to defend our citizens”, Panetta asserted. Identifying two critical weaknesses that had previously limited the U.S.’ ability to deter attackers, one, an inability to attribute attacks and therefore target aggressors, and second, a lack of tools to allow an aggressive response, Panetta significantly expressed willingness to act not only against attacks, but also threats of attacks, hinting at a policy shift from a defensive policy to an offensive one. He stated, “If we detect an imminent threat of attack that will cause significant physical destruction in the United States or kill American citizens, we need to have the option to take action against those who would attack us, to defend this nation when directed by the president. For these kinds of scenarios, the department has developed the capability to conduct effective operations to counter threats to our national interests in cyberspace.” 2

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