Israel successfully tests Arrow missile shield over Hezbollah threat

Israel has successfully tested its upgraded Arrow missile interceptor for the second time amid security threats from Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas as well as from Iran and Syria.

Israel believes that Iran and Syria have long had such missiles, and some are now also possessed by their ally Hezbollah, News24 reports.

Arrow III is designed to deploy kamikaze satellites, known as "kill vehicles," that track and slam into ballistic missiles above the earth's atmosphere, high enough to safely disintegrate any chemical, biological or nuclear warheads, the report added.

The latest launch of an Arrow III interceptor missile over the Mediterranean was the second flight of the system, but did not involve the interception of any target, officials said.