The Iron Dome. Photo: Wikipedia.

JNS.org — Azerbaijan is planning to acquire several Israeli Iron Dome air defense system batteries, Israel Hayom reported Thursday.

The impending acquisition was announced ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled December trip to the Shi’a majority country, where he plans to bolster ties with the nation.

The deal follows visits to Azerbaijan in recent years by several top Israeli security officials, including former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and current Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who discussed the country’s interest in Israel’s defense technology.

The Iron Dome, manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) to 70 kilometers (43 miles).