The U.S. army unloads a THAAD missile defense system in Israel, March 2019. (U.S. Army Europe)
Israel asked the United States to deploy a second Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system to protect the country in case of an Iranian reaction to an expected Israeli reprisal attack, Hebrew media reported on October 18.
The THAAD was designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach.
The system can engage missiles at ranges of 150-200 kilometers Typically, each system consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors, radio and radar equipment, and requires 95 soldiers to operate. The U.S. military reportedly has seven systems in service.
Iran has been bracing for an Israeli retaliation after its October 1 large-scale missile attack, which it said came in response the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Hamas Movement, in Tehran in July, and the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian General Abbas Nilforoushan in Beirut in September.
Earlier this week, the U.S. confirmed the deployment of one of its THAAD systems along with some 100 troops to operate it in Israel.
The system was deployed to “help bolster Israel’s air defenses,” Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said in a statement on October 13.
This was not the first time the U.S. has deployed a THAAD system to the Middle East. The U.S. previously deployed system to Israel in 2019 for training and an integrated air defense exercise. Last year, a system was also deployed to the region following the October 7 Hamas-led surprise attack on Israel.
The U.S. is unlikely to reject the Israeli request for a second THAAD system. Washington has shown nothing but unwavering support for the country since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip which later spread into Lebanon. This stance is slowly pushing the region into an all-out war.
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