The United States (US) is sending its advanced anti-missile system — Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery — to Israel, along with US troops to operate it. The Pentagon made the announcement on Sunday, October 13, just hours after Iran warned the US to keep its military forces out of Israel. Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said in a statement that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of the THAAD battery at the direction of President Joe Biden.The THAAD battery system has been developed by the US Missile Defense Agency and is operated by the Army.
Ryder said that the air defense system will help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s missile attacks on Israel in April and October.
This means that for the first time the US soldiers could actively engage in fighting between Israel and Iran on Israeli soil in the ongoing conflict that started after Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
What is THAAD defense battery system
According to a report in news agency Associated Press, the THAAD is a defensive system that shoots down incoming ballistic missiles. US is reportedly sending THAAD with the aim to add another layer to Israel’s already significant air defenses, which include separate systems designed to intercept long-range, medium-range and short-range threats. Israel recently retired its US-made Patriot systems after decades of use.
The THAAD is considered a complementary system to the Patriot, but it can defend a wider area. It can hit targets at ranges of 150 to 200 kilometers (93 to 124 miles), and is used to destroy short-range, medium-range and limited intermediate-range ballistic missile threats that are either inside or outside the atmosphere.
The AP report, quoting an April report by the Congressional Research Service, said that the US Army has seven THAAD batteries. Generally each consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors, radio and radar equipment and requires 95 soldiers to operate.
Raging war in Middle east
Israel is widely believed to be preparing a military response to Iran’s October 1 attack when it fired roughly 180 missiles into Israel. Media reports suggest that Israel has been escalating its campaign against Hezbollah with waves of heavy airstrikes across Lebanon and a ground invasion at the border after a year of exchanges of fire.
(With agency inputs)
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