The United States of America announced that it is sending an advanced missile defense system to Israel and about 100 American troops to operate it. This is the first time U.S. forces have been deployed in Israel since the Hamas-led attacks a year ago.
The Pentagon said President Joe Biden ordered Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to send the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, and its crew to Israel.
The THAAD missile system is a ground-based interceptor designed to defend against ballistic missiles. It does not have any warheads and is not used to conduct offensive attacks. Each THAAD truck-mounted battery carries up to eight missiles.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel on October 1 in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders and an Iranian general. Now, Israel is planning a retaliatory attack on Tehran.
On the other hand, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi yesterday warned that the United States was putting the lives of its troops at risk by deploying them to operate U.S. missile systems in Israel. He said that Iran has no red lines in defending itself.
