US to hand over advanced air defense system to Israel

Photo: Israeli military/REUTERS/Artorn Pookasook

The United States said on Sunday, October 13, it will send an advanced missile defense system and American troops to Israel to bolster the country's air defenses after missile attacks from Iran, Reuters reports.

US President Joe Biden said the system was being sent to the ally “to protect Israel.”

Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said the deployment of a battery of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system would complement Israel's integrated air defense system.

“This is part of a broader shift the US military has made in recent months to bolster Israel's defense and protect Americans from attacks from Iran and Iranian-linked militias,” Ryder said in a statement.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned earlier on Sunday that the US was putting the lives of its troops “at risk by sending them to operate US missile systems in Israel.”

“While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to deter all-out war in our region, I am clear that we have no red lines in protecting our people and interests,” Araqchi wrote on the X media platform.

BAGNET recalls that in April this year, Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel. In response, Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1 amid escalating fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Many were intercepted, but some bypassed missile defenses.

By Sergey Daga