US, Israel Agree to Improve Air Defenses

The US and Israel signed a deal for updated air defense operational cooperation. (EPA)
The US and Israel signed a deal for updated air defense operational cooperation. (EPA)
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US, Israel Agree to Improve Air Defenses

The US and Israel signed a deal for updated air defense operational cooperation. (EPA)
The US and Israel signed a deal for updated air defense operational cooperation. (EPA)

Israeli Air Force (IAF) representatives met this week with US air defense officials to discuss improving air defense systems during emergency situations for both countries.

A statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson’s Unit announced that the purpose of the meeting was to improve the “collaborative readiness of the forces for the joint defense of Israel.”

The two countries signed a deal for updated air defense operational cooperation.

Israel tested its air defense capabilities last May during the 11-day war on Gaza, during which it intercepted about 4,000 missiles.

The meetings were chaired on the Israeli side by the commander of the Israeli Air Force’s Air Defense System, Brig-Gen Gilad Biran, and Brig-Gen Greg Brady, commander of the 10th US Air and Missile Defense.

Meanwhile, the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and US security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin signed an agreement for collaboration in integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) systems.

Under the collaboration, the companies will explore potential joint opportunities in areas such as R&D, production, marketing, and other activities.

Sources in Tel Aviv said that the Israeli company would present its outstanding military experience, as it is the most widely used anti-aircraft device in the world.

Israel’s expertise can also be used in US weapons such as Patriot missile launch batteries and advanced radars for use in Israel itself.

The US forces in Europe and Africa intend to build a headquarters for their executive command at the Hatzor Air Base in southern Israel, which boasts three army headquarters. It was built between 2014 and 2019.

Sources confirmed that part of the construction was completed in recent months, and a special wing of the Operations Command with an area of 700 square meters will be built soon.

The US Army is looking for an Israeli contractor to carry out the work, which, according to the plan, will include 152 officers and soldiers.



Russia: Hypersonic Missile Strike on Ukraine Was a Warning to 'Reckless' West

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a televised address, dedicated to a military conflict in Ukraine and in particular to Russia's launch of a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile attack on a military facility in response to recent Ukrainian long-range strikes with Western weapons, in Moscow, Russia November 21, 2024. Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS
Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a televised address, dedicated to a military conflict in Ukraine and in particular to Russia's launch of a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile attack on a military facility in response to recent Ukrainian long-range strikes with Western weapons, in Moscow, Russia November 21, 2024. Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS
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Russia: Hypersonic Missile Strike on Ukraine Was a Warning to 'Reckless' West

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a televised address, dedicated to a military conflict in Ukraine and in particular to Russia's launch of a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile attack on a military facility in response to recent Ukrainian long-range strikes with Western weapons, in Moscow, Russia November 21, 2024. Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS
Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a televised address, dedicated to a military conflict in Ukraine and in particular to Russia's launch of a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile attack on a military facility in response to recent Ukrainian long-range strikes with Western weapons, in Moscow, Russia November 21, 2024. Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS

The Kremlin said on Friday that a strike on Ukraine using a newly developed hypersonic ballistic missile was designed as a message to the West that Moscow will respond to their "reckless" decisions and actions in support of Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was speaking a day after President Vladimir Putin said Moscow had fired the new missile - the Oreshnik or Hazel Tree - at a Ukrainian military facility.
"The main message is that the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries that produce missiles, supply them to Ukraine and subsequently participate in strikes on Russian territory cannot remain without a reaction from the Russian side," Peskov told reporters.
"The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns are not taken into account have been quite clearly outlined,” Reuters quoted him as saying.
Peskov said Russia had not been obliged to warn the United States about the strike, but had informed the US 30 minutes before the launch anyway.
President Vladimir Putin remained open to dialogue, Peskov said, but he said the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden "prefers to continue down the path of escalation".
Putin said on Thursday that Russia had fired the new missile after Ukraine, with approval from the Biden administration, struck Russia with six US-made ATACMS missiles on Tuesday and with British Storm Shadow cruise missiles and US-made HIMARS on Thursday.
He said this meant that the Ukraine war had now "acquired elements of a global character".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Russia's use of the new missile amounted to "a clear and severe escalation" in the war and called for strong worldwide condemnation.