The United States announced on Sunday that it will dispatch troops to Israel and deploy an advanced U.S. anti-missile system, marking a highly unusual move to strengthen the country’s air defenses in the wake of missile strikes from Iran.
President Joe Biden stated that the deployment aims “to defend Israel,” in anticipation of possible retaliation against Iran after Tehran launched over 180 missiles at Israel on October 1.
Behind closed doors, the United States has been urging Israel to carefully measure its response to prevent escalation into a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Publicly, Biden has expressed his opposition to an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities and raised concerns about potential attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder explained that this deployment is a continuation of “the broader adjustments the U.S. military has recently implemented” to support Israel and protect U.S. forces from attacks by Iran and groups backed by Tehran.
However, deploying U.S. troops to Israel outside of military exercises is uncommon due to Israel’s robust military capabilities.
In recent months, U.S. forces have supported Israel’s defense efforts from warships and fighter jets stationed elsewhere in the Middle East during previous confrontations with Iran.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, plays a vital role in the U.S. military’s comprehensive air defense strategy and enhances Israel’s already significant missile defense capabilities.
Operating a THAAD battery typically involves about 100 troops. The system includes six truck-mounted launchers, each equipped with eight interceptors, and is supported by a powerful radar system.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi issued a warning on Sunday, asserting that the U.S. was jeopardizing the safety of its troops by positioning them in Israel to operate U.S. missile defense systems.
“We have strived mightily in recent days to prevent a full-scale war in our region, but let me be clear: we will not hesitate to defend our people and our interests,” Araqchi stated on X.
Despite this, experts believe Iran has been avoiding direct conflict with the United States, making the presence of U.S. forces in Israel an additional factor in its strategic calculations.
Iran escalated its attacks on Israel in April and again on October 1, launching over 180 ballistic missiles at the country during intensified hostilities with the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. While many missiles were intercepted, some penetrated the missile defenses.
U.S. authorities have not specified a timeline for the system’s deployment to Israel.
In 2019, the Pentagon deployed a THAAD system to southern Israel for exercises, marking the only known instance of its presence in the country.
Lockheed Martin, the largest U.S. arms manufacturer, produces the THAAD system, designed to intercept short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Raytheon, operating under RTX, manufactures its advanced radar.