The U.S. army unloads a THAAD missile defense system in Israel, March 2019. (U.S. Army Europe)
The United States has deployed another Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system to Israel, the Al-Hadath TV reported on April 6.
The system was apparently delivered a day earlier. A C-5M Super Galaxy of the U.S. Air Force landed at the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel and remained there for around eight hours before taking off again, according to flight tracking websites.
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, each with a cost of upwards $1.8 billion.
In October of last year, the U.S. confirmed the deployment of one of its THAAD systems along with some 100 troops to operate it to Israel. At the time, the Pentagon said that the system was deployed there to “help bolster Israel’s air defenses”.
The THAAD system deployed in Israel has been used to intercept several ballistic missiles fired at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis (Ansar Allah) from Yemen, including in recent weeks.
In addition to the escalation in Yemen, tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been on the rise, with President Donald Trump directly threatening the Islamic Republic with “bombings” if it does not engage in direct talks on its nuclear program.
The deployment of the additional THAAD system in Israel is without a doubt a part of ongoing preparations by the U.S. for an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The U.S. reinforced its military posture in the Middle East in recent weeks deploying not only additional air defenses, but also a second aircraft carrier, stealth strategic bombers, fighter jets, and combat drones. The military buildup is meant to intimidate Iran, which has so far refused to engage in direct talks with the Trump administration.
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