"The president recognizes the threat missiles and rockets fired by Hamas and Hezbollah pose to Israel, and has therefore decided to seek funding from Congress to support the production of Israel's short-range rocket defense system called Iron Dome," White House Tommy Vietor spokesman said.
Israel completed tests in January on its Iron Dome anti-missile system, designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells fired at Israel by Hamas and Hezbollah.
The next phase in its development is to integrate it into the army. Israel hopes the system will provide it with a means to deal with rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and from Lebanon.
Palestinian 'militants' have fired thousands of rockets into Israel, home-made, prompting Israel's genocidal assault on the Hamas in southern Gaza on December 27, 2008.
"As the president has repeatedly said, our commitment to Israel's security is unshakable and our defense relationship is stronger than ever," said Vietor.
"The United States and our ally Israel share many of the same security challenges, from combating terrorism to confronting the threat posed by Iran's nuclear-weapons program."
The move comes after ties between Israel and its key ally the U.S. were strained by an announcement of new Israeli settler homes in east Al-Quds made during a visit to the Jewish state by Vice President Joe Biden. Israel's President Shimon Peres, then sparked controversy in April when he accused Syria of Hezbollah supplying the movement with long-range Scud missiles, a charge Damascus has staunchly denied.
Washington, which has sought rapprochement with Damascus, further fed the controversy when Defence Secretary Robert Gates accused Iran and Syria of arming Hezbollah with sophisticated weaponry, without naming Scuds.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has therefore warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about the risks of triggering a regional if he had supplied the Shiite group with the missiles.
Fragile indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority of president Mahmud Abbas opened Sunday with U.S. envoy George Mitchell shuttling between the two sides in al-Quds and Ramallah.
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