2021 Photo Contest Finalists: Scenes Of War

The sky above my hometown of Rehovot in central Israel was filled with Iron Dome “Tamir” missiles launched against incoming missiles targeted at Tel Aviv. The streaks on the left are the Tamir missiles. The four bright spots on the left side of the photo are explosions at the moment of interception.

A long exposure of an Iron Dome missile launched at night seems like something from "Star Wars." The rocket rocks the ground and sears the night sky like a futuristic laser beam on its way to intercept an enemy rocket.

This image is an epic capture of modern war. Rockets were fired from Gaza (in the middle) at the coastal city of Ashkelon on the right and a small town on the left. Iron Dome defensive missiles were launched to intercept them in midair. It all happened at night, as the stars moved in their trails toward the Mediterranean Sea in the background.

An Iron Dome interceptor missile ascends to meet an enemy rocket in the sky. A unique angle captures its silhouette with the setting Sun.

An Israeli Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130 “Karnaf,” or “rhinoceros,” drops essential cargo packs for ground troops before the Sun sets. The cargo packs deploy their parachutes and gently land near the waiting troops.

An Israel Aerospace Industries Eitan unmanned aerial vehicle from the Israeli Air Force returns to base at dusk after a surveillance mission.

A squadron of Israeli Air Force Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk “Yanshuf” helicopters takes off from a field landing site at night. Their navigation lights paint the night sky in a long-exposure shot like rockets. The mountains of Galilee and its villages provide a beautiful background.