Pentagon: The US will send anti-missile systems and troops to Israel

The United States said it will send U.S. troops to Israel along with an advanced U.S. anti-missile system, in a highly unusual deployment meant to bolster the country’s air defenses following missile attacks by Iran.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the move was meant “to defend Israel․”

Pentagon Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder described the deployment as part of “the broader adjustments the U.S. military has made in recent months” to support Israel and defend U.S. personnel from attacks by Iran and Iranian-backed groups.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, is a critical part of the U.S. military’s layered air defense systems and adds to Israel’s already formidable anti-missile defenses. U.S. officials did not say how quickly the system would be deployed to Israel.

Still, experts say Iran has sought to avoid a direct war with the United States.

Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel in April. Then on Oct. 1, Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel amid another escalation in fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.