The Pentagon announced on Sunday (October 13) that the United States will provide Israel with a set of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system and will send troops to operate the system.
According to the Associated Press, Pentagon spokesperson, Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, said in a statement that the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of THAAD, or the “SAAD” system, as directed by President Biden. The system is aimed at enhancing Israel’s aerial defense capabilities after Iran launched ballistic missile attacks on Israel in April and October.
It is widely believed that Israel is preparing a military response to Iran’s attack on October 1, when Iran fired approximately 180 missiles towards Israel.
Before leaving Florida over the weekend, President Biden briefly spoke with reporters and stated that he agreed to deploy the THAAD system to “defend Israel.” He made the remarks at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, where he also surveyed the damage caused by Hurricane Milton and met with first responders, residents, and local leaders.
Ryder emphasized in the statement that this deployment “reaffirms the U.S. commitment to defending Israel and ensuring that American citizens in Israel are protected from further ballistic missile attacks launched by Iran.”
The origin and arrival time of the THAAD system to Israel are currently unknown. Israeli military spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, declined to provide a timeline for arrival but expressed gratitude for the U.S. support.
After the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants on Israel, the U.S. deployed a THAAD system and additional Patriot missile batteries to the Middle East by the end of last year to bolster protection for U.S. forces in the region. Ryder mentioned that the U.S. also delivered a THAAD system to Israel for training in 2019.
The THAAD system will further strengthen Israel’s robust air defense capabilities, which includes independent systems designed to intercept long-range, medium-range, and short-range missile threats. After decades of use, the American-made Patriot air defense missile system in Israel has recently been retired.
According to a report from the Congressional Research Service in April, the U.S. Army has seven THAAD systems. Typically, each THAAD system consists of six mobile launchers, 48 interceptors, along with radio and radar equipment, and requires 95 soldiers to operate.
The THAAD system serves as a supplement to the Patriot system but has a broader defense range. It can target threats within a range of 150 to 200 kilometers (93 to 124 miles), specifically designed to destroy short, medium, and limited intermediate-range ballistic missiles inside and outside the atmosphere.
The system was developed by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency but is operated by the U.S. Army. The eighth system has been funded and ordered, with plans for deployment sometime next year.