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US Will Send an Air Defense Battery and American Troops to Israel to Bolster Defenses against Iran

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Lebanon's southern area of Mahmoudiyeh near the Litani River on October 12, 2024. (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Lebanon's southern area of Mahmoudiyeh near the Litani River on October 12, 2024. (AFP)
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US Will Send an Air Defense Battery and American Troops to Israel to Bolster Defenses against Iran

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Lebanon's southern area of Mahmoudiyeh near the Litani River on October 12, 2024. (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Lebanon's southern area of Mahmoudiyeh near the Litani River on October 12, 2024. (AFP)

The United States will send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery and troops to Israel, the Pentagon said Sunday, even as Iran warned Washington to keep American military forces out of Israel.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of the THAAD battery at the direction of President Joe Biden.

Ryder said the air defense system will help bolster Israel's air defenses following Iran’s missile attacks on Israel in April and October.

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.  

A year ago, Austin ordered the deployment of a THAAD battery and additional Patriot battalions to locations around the Middle East to increase protection of US forces and to aid in the defense of Israel.  

According to an April report by the Congressional Research Service, the Army has seven THAAD batteries. Generally, each consists of six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors, radio and radar equipment and it requires 95 soldiers to operate.  

The THAAD is considered a complimentary system to the Patriot, but it can defend a wider area. It can hit targets at ranges of 150-200 kilometers (93-124 miles).

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Israel Reinforces Ban on UN Chief Entering Country over Iran Attack Comments

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, US, September 24, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, US, September 24, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo
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Israel Reinforces Ban on UN Chief Entering Country over Iran Attack Comments

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, US, September 24, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, US, September 24, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz reinforced on Sunday his decision to declare UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata over what he described as a failure to condemn Iran's missile attack and antisemitic and anti-Israel conduct.  

On Oct. 2, Katz said that he was barring Guterres from entering Israel. He posted on X on Sunday that "Guterres can continue seeking support from UN member states, but the decision will not change."

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described the initial announcement on Oct. 2 as political and "just one more attack, so to speak, on UN staff that we've seen from the government of Israel."

He said the UN traditionally does not recognize the concept of persona non grata as applying to UN staff.

When asked to respond to Katz's remarks on Sunday, a UN spokesperson referred to Dujarric's earlier comments.

Dujarric also said last week that the UN had not received any formal communication from Israel on the matter.

On Oct. 3, the UN Security Council expressed its full support for Guterres, saying in a statement that "any decision not to engage with the UN Secretary-General or the United Nations is counterproductive, especially in the context of escalating tensions in the Middle East."

When asked last week if Guterres had been made persona non grata by Israel, Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters: "There was a statement made ... we will evaluate the relationship. We are here at the UN, we work with the UN agencies, but we were disappointed."

Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Oct. 1 amid an escalation in fighting between Israel and its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah. Many were intercepted in flight but some penetrated missile defenses.

Guterres condemned the missile attack and "the broadening of the Middle East conflict, with escalation after escalation." Earlier the same day, Israel had sent troops into southern Lebanon.

During a Security Council meeting a day later, Guterres said: "As I did in relation to the Iranian attack in April - and as should have been obvious yesterday in the context of the condemnation I expressed - I again strongly condemn yesterday’s massive missile attack by Iran on Israel."