The Pentagon announces the arrival of the THAAD system to Israel with US military personnel who operate it
The Pentagon announced on Tuesday, that its THAAD air defense system has arrived in Israel.
The US system is designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, to Israel, accompanied by US military personnel who will supervise its operation.
Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said at a news conference that the battery components will arrive in the coming days and the system will be fully operational.
Asked whether the deployment of US forces to Israel “drags the United States further into the conflict,” Singh said, “It’s intended to provide an interim air defense capability to better protect Israel and is consistent with the US intent to de-escalate”.
Singh added, “the United States – which supports Israel – “doesn’t want a war with Iran or a wider regional conflict”.
“But Iranian-backed groups are already attacking us in Iraq, Syria and the Red Sea, and this deployment is a fulfillment of our pledge to help Israel defend itself,” she added.
The THAAD system is manufactured by the US company Lockheed Martin, and is considered a defensive weapon for shooting down short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at high altitudes.
The manufacturer says that THAAD is the only US system designed to intercept targets inside and outside the atmosphere.
