US Army Iron Dome Defense System Battery live fire test at the White Sands New Mexico test range. Photo: Ministry of Defense Spokesperson’s Office.

i24 News – The United States military is testing Israel’s Iron Dome aerial defense system against Chinese cruise missiles, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The US is conducting the tests on the western Pacific island of Guam where the US maintains a strong military presence.

While Israel uses Iron Dome to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells, the US military is testing its effectiveness against longer-range cruise missiles.

The testing is part of a wider strategy to counter Beijing’s military buildup and increasingly aggressive stance in the Asia-Pacific region.

China has recently been threatening Taiwan, which shares maritime borders. Beijing has been sending fighter jets into Taiwanese territory, causing concern in Taipei.

Taiwan’s defense ministry has warned that a Chinese military attack on key harbors could potentially sever the island’s supply lines.

The US is also conducting the tests of Iron Dome as part of an effort to protect Guam, which is a US territory.

Last month it was reported that Beijing conducted a hypersonic missile test with nuclear capacity. The missile completed a circuit of the planet before landing, missing its target.

The US is already working on adding hypersonic missiles to its arsenal.