Homeland defense has entered a new era with the proliferation of nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles and President Donald Trump's Golden Dome proposal aims to invest in protecting against modern threats.

Shortly after Iran confirmed it had launched a missile attack on Israel, fiery explosions broke out across Tel Aviv, lighting up the night sky. Iran fired the projectiles after Israel blocked an earlier drone attack from Iran.

The Missile Defense Agency has awarded a contract worth up to $429 million to Integration Innovation Inc. (i3) to evaluate potential next-generation missile defense capabilities -- just weeks after unveiling a sweeping new initiative to harness disruptive technologies across the missile defense enterprise.

As the $175bn project advances, tech start-ups and legacy contractors vie for a stake in the Pentagon’s next-generation defence system.

Air raid sirens sound in Jerusalem after Israel says Iran fired missiles; at least 1 explosion is heard in the distance.