TEL AVIV Ñ Israel has successfully launched an Arrow-2 interceptor in the latest test of its missile defense system.

Israeli defense sources said the Arrow-2 was fired on Monday at the Palmahim air force base south of Tel Aviv, Middle East Newsline reported. The sources said the missile intercepted a target Scud-class missile launched over the Mediterranean Sea.

As a result, Israeli officials say, Israel now has a missile defense system capable of intercepting the most advanced ballistic missiles developed in the Middle East.

They said this includes Iran's Shihab-3 and Syria's Scud-D missile. The Shihab-3 has a range of 1,300 kilometers and the Scud D has a range of 700 kilometers.

The officials said the interceptor destroyed a target that simulated a Shihab-class missile, based on the North Korean No-Dong missile.

Israeli defense sources said the Arrow-2 was fired on Monday from the Palmahim air force base south of Tel Aviv. The sources said the Arrow slammed into the Black Sparrow target missile and smashed it to pieces. "Our system can now handle the Shihab-3," Aryeh Herzog, director of Israel's Homa missile defense program, said.

On Tuesday, Israeli officials said program managers were studying the data from the interception to determine whether the Arrow-2 struck the Black Sparrow or exploded near the target missile. They said this would be determined by Wednesday.

The Arrow-2 intercepted the Black Sparrow over the Mediterranean 100 kilometers from the launch site, officials said. They said this was the longest-range interception by the Arrow-2, developed by the state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries.

The Black Sparrow was launched from an F-15 fighter-jet about 360 kilometers from the Israeli coast. The target missile has the ability to simulate a range of missiles. Until now, the Black Sparrow was meant to resemble a Scud-class missile.

This was the ninth test and second straight success of the Arrow-2 missile, jointly developed by Israel and the United States. The Arrow system includes the Israeli Green Pine radar and the Golden Citron command and control system.

Israeli officials said Washington could employ the lessons of the Arrow for U.S. missile programs. "The information gained from the program has potential applications in several U.S. missile defense programs," an Israeli Defense Ministry statement said.

In Washington, Israel and the United States ended a first round of strategic talks on Monday. The meeting was the first session in the strategic dialogue under the Bush administration and focused on Middle East missile and weapons of mass destruction threats.

"The discussions were thorough, fruitful, and beneficial; they will continue in the future," an Israeli government statement said.

This was the second straight success of the Arrow-2 missile, jointly developed by Israel and the United States. The Arrow system includes the Israeli Green Pine radar and the Golden Citron command and control system.

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