The US is mulling sending Israel an advanced anti-ballistic missile defense system operated by American troops to protect the country in case of an Iranian reaction to an expected Israeli reprisal attack, an US official said Saturday.
Israel has vowed to respond after Iran lobbed some 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1, with the US seeking to coordinate with Jerusalem and temper its retaliation. A weekend report indicated that US officials think Israel has narrowed down its list of possible targets.
With Iran saying it will reply to any retaliatory action in kind, reports in Hebrew-language media over the weekend claimed that Washington was set to deploy Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) air defense batteries to beef up Israel’s ability to fend off ballistic missiles, which Tehran’s proxies have also launched at Israel in recent months.
A US official speaking to The Times of Israel on condition of anonymity confirmed US President Joe Biden’s administration was considering transferring the systems to Israel, but said no decision had been made yet.
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. Any move of a THAAD to Israel would involve the deployment of soldiers to operate the complex system.
According to an April report by the Congressional Research Service, the US Army has seven THAAD batteries. The system is considered complementary to the Patriot, but it can defend a wider area, hitting targets at ranges of 150-200 kilometers (93-124 miles).
Generally, each consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors, radio and radar equipment, and requires 95 soldiers to operate.
A year ago, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of a THAAD battery and additional Patriot battalions to locations around the Middle East to increase the protection of US forces and to aid in the defense of Israel.
