The Biden administration is sending an advanced anti-missile system to Israel to bolster the country’s defences against an Iranian attack, according to the Pentagon.
The Thaad system is a ground-based interceptor designed to shoot down ballistic missiles.
President Joe Biden’s decision to approve the deployment came after extensive discussions between US officials and Israel over the country’s expected military response to Iran and how Tehran might retaliate.
The US deployment to Israel is a rare move and a visible demonstration of the Biden administration’s support for its Middle East ally a month before the American presidential election.
American officials say that the deployment will give the US more flexibility in deploying its ballistic missile defence destroyers.
Thaad stands for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and is operated by the US Army. A typical Thaad battery is crewed by nearly 100 soldiers and consists of six truck-mounted launchers, a transportable radar and a fire control unit.
It is designed to intercept missiles inside or outside the atmosphere during the final phase of flight, according to the Congressional Research Service. A Thaad system purchased by the United Arab Emirates intercepted a Houthi missile in January 2022, marking the first time that the system has been used successfully in combat.