United States officials announced on Sunday that it would be providing Israel with a sophisticated anti-missile system, along with U.S. troops to operate it, to enhance the country’s air defense capabilities in response to missile attacks from Iran.
President Joe Biden stated that the system is being sent “to defend Israel,” reported USA Today. Reports indicate that roughly 100 troops will be sent as part of this initiative.
Here is more of what USA Today reported on this developing story:
Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery would augment Israel’s integrated air defense system.
“It is part of the broader adjustments the U.S. military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias,” Ryder said in a statement.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned earlier on Sunday that the United States was putting the lives of its troops “at risk by deploying them to operate U.S. missile systems in Israel.”
“While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests,” Araqchi posted on X.
Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel in April. Then on Oct. 1, Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel amid an escalation in fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Many were intercepted in flight but some penetrated missile defenses.