Sending THAAD to 'Israel', Biden deepens involvement in war: WaPo
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The latest move would add to the more than 50,000 tons of military equipment the US has supplied to "Israel" since the start of the war in October last year.
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This image provided by the US Air Force shows the US Army Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) launching station preparing to load onto a 4th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III at Fort Bliss, Texas, February 23, 2019. (Staff Sgt. Cory D. Payne/U.S. Air Force via AP)
The United States is deploying one of its most advanced missile defense systems, along with approximately 100 troops, to "Israel", signaling deeper US involvement in the escalating Middle East tensions amid expectations of an imminent Israeli attack against Iran, The Washington Post reported.
This marks the first significant deployment of US troops to "Israel" since the start of the war on Gaza, occurring just weeks before the US presidential election, in which the country’s involvement in the war has become a contentious issue on the campaign trail, the newspaper pointed out.
It mentioned that US officials have been advising "Israel" against targeting Iran's nuclear, oil, and gas facilities, warning that such actions could trigger a broader escalation with far-reaching consequences for the global economy.
The deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system is a strong indication that the US anticipates the Israeli attack to be “so comprehensive that the Iranians will have to respond," according to Aaron David Miller, a Middle East expert who has served as an advisor to multiple US administrations.
The latest move would add to the more than 50,000 tons of military equipment the US has supplied to "Israel" since the start of the war in October last year, as per the Israeli occupation's Security Ministry.
Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant vowed Wednesday a "powerful, precise, and above all — surprising" attack on Iran for its retaliatory ballistic missile strike against Israeli targets on October 1, which became known as Operation True Promise II.
However, Iranian officials have warned after the operation that any further Israeli action would be met with a harsh, proportional, and calculated response from Tehran.
The Washington Post indicated that the Iranian operation highlighted vulnerabilities in "Israel's" supposedly advanced missile defense system, as numerous missiles managed to breach it and hit occupied territory.
It also pointed out that on Sunday, a Hezbollah drone also evaded Israeli air defenses and struck an Israeli military base near Binyamina, south of the city of Haifa, killing four soldiers and injuring others.
The newspaper said that despite ongoing differences between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the course of the year-long war, the decision to provide the THAAD system before "Israel’s" anticipated strike on Iran underscores his continued trust in Netanyahu’s judgment.
“Once this battery is in place and Israel enjoys the protection of American air defenders, what incentive does Netanyahu have to keep his word and not strike the sensitive targets he promised to avoid?” said Harrison Mann, a former US Army officer who served as an analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency.
The THAAD system is designed exclusively for intercepting ballistic missiles, does not have any offensive capabilities, and is solely intended to defend against incoming short-, medium-, and intermediate-range missiles, The Washington Post noted.
While the exact delivery date remains undisclosed, Mann considered that this move exemplifies President Biden’s use of "carrots" rather than sticks to tone down "Israel’s" aggressive actions.
Mann warned that the decision to increase US troop presence in "Israel" amid the looming attack on Iran heightens the risk of American casualties, which could further entangle the US in the war.
He also emphasized the risks to the US troops operating the THAAD system, saying, "Those soldiers will be operating from Israeli military bases, which Iran already demonstrated the will and capability to strike, at a time when additional Iranian strikes are expected imminently."
"Even if we optimistically assume the THAAD system will neutralize all incoming missiles, Israeli forces cannot fully guarantee protection against drones, which have previously breached Israeli bases," he added.
US risking its troops' lives by deploying them to 'Israel': Iran FM
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the United States is "putting the lives of its troops at risk" by deploying them to "Israel" to operate US missile defense systems.
"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," Araghchi wrote in a post on X.
The top Iranian diplomat highlighted that the US has supplied unprecedented amounts of arms to the Israeli occupation entity during its ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.
"As we have stated so many times, we are fully prepared for any situation and scenario. Nobody wants war in the region except the Zionist regime," Araghchi stressed Sunday upon his arrival in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Read more: Iran ready for war, committed to peace in Gaza, Lebanon: Araghchi
