US President Joe Biden said the move was aimed at "protecting Israel", which is considering possible retaliation against Iran after Tehran fired more than 180 missiles at Israel on October 1.
Officials said the US has privately urged Israel to calibrate its response to avoid triggering a broader war in the Middle East, with Biden publicly speaking out against an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites and expressing concern about an attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
US THAAD air defense system. Photo: US Army
Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder described the deployment as part of “broader adjustments the US military has made in recent months” to support Israel and protect US service members from attacks by Iran and Iran-backed groups.
US military deployments to Israel are rare outside of exercises. In recent months, the US military has assisted in defending Israel from warships and warplanes in the Middle East when the country was attacked by Iran.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a key part of the US military's layered air defense system and adds to Israel's already robust missile defense capabilities.
A THAAD system typically requires about 100 troops to operate. The system consists of six truck-mounted launchers, with eight interceptor missiles on each launcher, and a powerful radar.
The Pentagon said a THAAD system was deployed to southern Israel for exercises in 2019, the last and only time the system was known to have been there.
Lockheed Martin, America's largest weapons maker, builds and integrates the THAAD system, designed to shoot down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned early on Sunday that the US was putting the lives of its troops "at risk by deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel".
"Although we have made great efforts in recent days to prevent a full-scale war in the region, I would like to make it clear that we have no red lines in protecting our people and interests," Araqchi posted on X.
Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel in April. Then, on October 1, Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel amid escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Many of the missiles were intercepted in flight, but some penetrated missile defenses.
Hoang Anh (according to Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/my-se-gui-he-thong-chong-ten-lua-va-quan-doi-toi-israel-quyet-bao-ve-dong-minh-post316657.html
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