Mutabar-1 improvised air-defense system

Also known as

Mutabar-1
Mutabar 1
Mutabar-1 air-defense system
Metbar 1
Metbar-1

The Mutabar-1 is a locally manufactured improvised short-range air-defense system attributed to Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza. Public reporting on October 9, 2023 said the group introduced the system into Operation Al-Aqsa Flood to confront Israeli aircraft, while later CTP-ISW reporting linked it to a shot at an Israeli drone over Gaza.

Mutabar-1 improvised air-defense system, Improvised short-range air-defense system, Air Defense

Image source: Focus Mutabar-1 report

Role in Conflicts

Side: Hamas and Gaza-based armed groups

Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades said it introduced the Mutabar-1 into Operation Al-Aqsa Flood to confront Israeli aircraft, and CTP-ISW later reported a Mutabar-1 air-defense missile fired at an Israeli drone over Gaza.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: Gaza Strip
Built by: HamasAl-Qassam Brigades
Built in: Gaza Strip, Palestinian territories
Type: Improvised short-range air-defense system
Service note: 2023-present
Designer: Hamas / Al-Qassam Brigades
Designed: 2023
Produced: 2023

Specifications

Launcher: Single launcher
Traverse: 360 degrees
Elevation: 20 to 70 degrees
Guidance: Not publicly disclosed
Construction: Uses cheaper, more widely available components

Timeline

Mutabar-1 improvised air-defense system Key Events

Oct 9, 2023
Public reveal and activation claim
Al Jazeera's video report showed the Al-Qassam Brigades unveiling the Mutabar-1, and Xinhua reported the brigade's statement that it had introduced the homegrown system into Operation Al-Aqsa Flood to confront Israeli aircraft.
Sources: Al Jazeera English Mutabar-1 video report, Xinhua Mutabar-1 activation report
Oct 13, 2023
Reported use against an Israeli drone
ISW cited CTP-ISW reporting that Hamas used the Mutabar-1 against an Israeli drone over Gaza.
Sources: ISW Iran Update, October 13, 2023

Documented Configuration

Public reporting shows the Mutabar-1 as a compact improvised system rather than a mass-produced surface-to-air missile family, and the available open-source record leaves its missile and guidance method unresolved.

Feature	Documented detail
Public reveal	Shown by Al Jazeera and reported by Xinhua on 2023-10-09.
Conflict framing	Al-Qassam Brigades described the system as introduced into Operation Al-Aqsa Flood to confront Israeli aircraft.
Launcher layout	Single launcher with 360-degree traverse.
Elevation	20 to 70 degrees.
Construction	Built from cheaper, more widely available components.
Guidance	Not publicly disclosed.

Sources: Al Jazeera English Mutabar-1 video report; Xinhua Mutabar-1 activation report; Army Recognition Hamas drone and missile facility report.

Media

Mutabar-1 improvised air-defense system Videos

Israel-Hamas war: Al-Qassam Brigades unveil air defence system

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Sources

Army Recognition Hamas drone and missile facility reportPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports the Mutabar-1's locally manufactured background, launcher layout, traverse/elevation details, and undisclosed guidance context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01 Al Jazeera English Mutabar-1 video reportPublisher: Al Jazeera English | Note: Supports the first public reveal of the Mutabar-1 on October 9, 2023 and its presentation as a locally manufactured air-defense system. | Accessed: 2026-07-01 Xinhua Mutabar-1 activation reportPublisher: Xinhua | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War direct use: Al-Qassam Brigades said it introduced the homegrown Metbar 1 system into Operation Al-Aqsa Flood to confront Israeli aircraft. | Accessed: 2026-07-01 Focus Mutabar-1 reportPublisher: Focus | Note: Image provenance for the Mutabar-1 screenshot used on the entry; the page reproduces Hamas video frames from the 2023 Israel-Hamas War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01 ISW Iran Update, October 13, 2023Publisher: Institute for the Study of War | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War direct use: CTP-ISW recorded a Mutabar-1 air-defense missile used by Hamas against an Israeli drone over Gaza. | Accessed: 2026-07-01