238: Chapter 238 When the Fireworks Bloom

"Six batteries can theoretically handle a hundred and twenty targets simultaneously," another Death Soldier added.

"Exactly, a hundred and twenty," Sinwar's lips curled into a cold arc. "So our plan is simple: launch more than a hundred and twenty targets to saturate their fire channels. At the same time, the targets must come from multiple directions to cause the amount of data their radar and fire control systems need to process to explode."

He pulled up a map of Gaza and marked six red 'X's on it.

"Here, here, and here... we've pre-positioned six mobile launch platforms. Each platform consists of four disguised pickups, each carrying a twelve-round Simple Rocket Launcher. Total launch capacity: two hundred and eighty-eight rockets."

"But we don't need that many." Sinwar's finger traced six arcs on the map. "The first attack used fifty rockets to test and lull them into a false sense of security. For the second attack, we'll launch two hundred rockets plus twenty Thermal Decoys—a total of two hundred and twenty targets, far exceeding the upper limit of the Iron Dome's hundred and twenty fire channels."

"Launch timing?" a Death Soldier asked.

"Three o'clock this afternoon." Sinwar glanced at the time. "It's eleven in the morning now. We have two hours for final preparations."

"Target selection?"

"Still military targets on the outskirts of Gaza, but this time they need to be more scattered—barracks, command posts, radar stations, artillery positions, vehicle assembly areas... Let their fire control systems face more choices when assessing threats and consume more calculation time."

Sinwar closed the map and looked at all the Death Soldiers around him.

"Remember, the purpose of this attack isn't to cause maximum casualties—though that will be a side effect. The real goals are: first, to test and break the theoretical limit of the Iron Dome system; second, to film the entire process and release it as a video to the world; and third, to destroy the Squid Nation military's psychological defense of 'our skies are absolutely safe.'"

"When their self-assured 'Iron Dome' is pierced by our cheapest sea of rockets, that psychological blow will be more lethal than blowing up a few warehouses."

"Now, everyone to your positions. At three o'clock, let the fireworks bloom."

Tel Aviv time, 2:50 PM.

Inside the Iron Dome central command vehicle, the atmosphere was even more solemn than in the morning.

Colonel Barak had already reported the morning's interception data to the Southern Command and received the order to "strengthen vigilance and ensure no mistakes." But he knew in his heart that those five rockets that slipped through were like a thorn stuck in everyone's mind.

"All units report status," he said into the communicator, his voice a bit raspy.

"Battery A in position, ammunition reloaded, full capacity."

"Battery B in position..."

"...Battery F in position, all radars on, system running normally."

A technical officer reported in a low voice: "Colonel, based on the data analysis from this morning, there is indeed room for optimization in our fire channel allocation algorithm when facing multi-directional, multi-wave targets. The headquarters' technical department updated the software overnight; the new version can allocate interception resources more intelligently to prioritize the absolute safety of high-value areas."

"Updated?" Barak raised an eyebrow. "When?"

"Pushed through the encrypted data link an hour ago; all units have automatically finished the installation."

Barak breathed a slight sigh of relief. The efficiency of the Squid Nation's military industry had always been high, which was why the Iron Dome system could constantly upgrade and maintain its lead.

He looked at the screen. Six green fan-shaped areas still covered the entire eastern district of Gaza, with no abnormalities.

Perhaps the morning was just a probe, and those rats had given up the idea of rocket attacks after discovering the power of the Iron Dome?

Just as he was thinking that—

"Alert! Alert! Multiple targets detected!"

Almost at the same instant, a dense mass of red dots erupted on the screen!

It wasn't three directions; it was six!

It wasn't fifty; it was... simply uncountable!

"Target count... over a hundred and fifty! No, over two hundred!" The radar operator's voice was filled with terror. "Bearings 018, 045, 092, 155, 210, 287... A massive number of targets appearing simultaneously from six directions! Speeds 160 to 200 meters per second, altitude 200 to 500 meters, all consistent with rocket signatures!"

"What?!" Barak stood up abruptly. "Two hundred targets? How could they possibly launch so many at once?!"

"Fire control system is allocating threat levels... calculating... calculation load too high! Response delay!"

On the screen, the progress bar representing the system's calculation status began to flash red warnings—the number of targets processed exceeded the system's optimization threshold, requiring more time for threat assessment and fire allocation.

And in those precious few seconds of delay, those two hundred and twenty targets (rockets plus decoys) had already covered a third of the distance!

"Automatic interception mode activated!" Barak roared. "All units, fire at will! Prioritize intercepting the highest threat level targets!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!!!"

This time, the Iron Dome system's reaction was clearly half a beat slow.

Battery A only launched its first interceptor eleven seconds after the targets appeared, a full three seconds slower than in the morning. Battery B was even delayed by thirteen seconds.

And a three-second difference is fatal in air defense operations.

By the time the first batch of interceptors took to the air, the first batch of rockets had already traveled seven kilometers, leaving less than two kilometers to their targets!

In the sky, the white trails of interceptors and the red wakes of rockets intertwined again, but this time, the scene was ten times more spectacular than in the morning!

Over seventy interceptors rose simultaneously, like a reverse meteor shower pouncing toward the horizon. Meanwhile, the sea of rockets opposite them was like a red wave of death, sweeping in from six directions.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The explosions were so dense they almost merged into one! Balls of fire bloomed in the sky, and black smoke spread rapidly, obscuring half the heavens.

But soon, a problem emerged.

"Battery A reporting! Fire channels saturated! Twelve targets remain unallocated for interceptors!"

"Battery B reporting! Saturated! Eleven targets slipped through!"

"Battery C..."

Six batteries reported the same situation almost simultaneously: all twenty of their fire channels were fully occupied, but the number of incoming targets far exceeded that figure.

"Manual assignment! Use interceptors from other batteries to intercept!" Barak yelled.

"Too late, Colonel! Targets are too close, flight time remaining is less than twenty seconds! Reallocating fire requires at least five seconds of calculation time!"