NEW DELHI, 14 October (H.S.): US govt confirmed that Washington will send an advanced air defence battery

to Israel to protect the country in case of an Iranian reaction to an expected

Israeli reprisal attack, along with American soldiers to operate it, as Tehran

appeared to threaten the US troops to be stationed in the region. A US defence

official said around 100 US troops would be deployed to operate the system.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that Défense

Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of the THAAD battery at the

direction of President Joe Biden.

Ryder said the system will help bolster Israel’s air defence following

Iran’s missile attacks on Israel in April and October.

“This action underscores the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defence

of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic

missile attacks by Iran,” Ryder said.

The THAAD is considered a complimentary system to the Patriot system but

can defend a wider area, capable of hitting targets at ranges of 150-200 kilometres.

Each battery consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors, radio

and radar equipment, and requires 95 soldiers to operate.

The US deployed one of the batteries to the Middle East along with

additional Patriot battalions to bolster protections for US forces in the

region late last year after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas

terrorists. It’s also noted that the US sent a THAAD battery to Israel in 2019

for training. The US has a wide range of missile defense systems arrayed across

the Middle East and Europe, including Patriot systems. Officials have been

discussing for months what types of air defense systems to deploy to the region

and where to put them.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Nimish kumar