Jan 28, Kathmandu- President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order to begin planning for the United States to have an 'Iron Dome' air defense system similar to the one used by Israel to intercept thousands of rockets.  

Trump has ordered the Secretary of Defense to submit within 60 days an implementation plan for the Next-Generation Missile Defense Shield, designed to protect against ballistic, hypersonic and advanced cruise missiles. It also includes the development of space-based interceptors.

During the 2024 election campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to build a version of Israel's Iron Dome system for the United States. However, he ignored the fact that the system was designed for short-range threats.

"Rather than diminishing over the past 40 years, the threat from next-generation strategic weapons has become more acute and complex," Monday's executive order said. Trump had earlier said at a Republican congressional retreat in Miami that the system would be built in the United States.

Israel has used its 'Iron Dome' system to shoot down rockets fired by Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon in the war that began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.

"They shoot down almost every rocket," Trump said at a meeting in Miami, "so I think the United States deserves it." He also signed several other orders related to the US military on Monday. This includes an order that would pave the way for a ban on transgender people in the armed forces.