Trump wants a Golden Dome missile defense shield. Is that realistic?

Since last week Israel has been attacking Iran's nuclear facilities along with a great number of other targets around the country Iran has fired hundreds of missiles in response NPR correspondent Geoff Brumfiel has been watching all of this very closely because Israel's missile defenses have been a focus of the Trump White House This year President Trump requested funding from Congress for a Golden Dome for America a missile defense system that would protect all of the United States The idea comes from Israel's Iron Dome a arrangement of interceptor missiles stationed at points across the country Iron Dome and related Israeli air defenses don't get every missile fired including specific launched in the past limited days by Iran but the Israeli military says it has intercepted thousands of rockets since it was built Trying to get that kind of protection for America though might be a very different matter Read more of science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel's reporting on this topic and find NPR's coverage of the Middle East here Questions about nuclear science Email us at shortwave npr org Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and endorsement our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave at plus npr org shortwave