The US Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery that has been deployed to Israel with about 100 US troops is now operational, the Israeli broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday.
The US deployed the missile defense system amid anticipation of an Israeli attack on Iran in retaliation for the October 1 Iranian missile barrage that was fired at Israel, which came in response to a series of Israeli escalations in the region.
The US and Israel are anticipating Iran to hit back in response to any Israeli attack, making the US troops deployed with the THAAD system a potential target of Iranian ballistic missiles.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Friday that Israel has requested the US to send another THAAD system, signaling Israel is expecting major escalations. There’s been no word yet on whether the US is considering the request.
Throughout the past year, the US has deployed additional military assets to the Middle East to show support for Israel, but sending to the THAAD system was the first significant US deployment on Israeli territory, although an unknown number of US special operations forces have been on the ground in Israel helping with intelligence.
The US may support Israel’s attack on Iran either by launching airstrikes of its own or by providing intelligence. Either way, the US will be directly involved in a full-blown Iran-Israel war since it’s vowing to defend Israel from any Iranian reprisal.
Uncle Sam takes the opportunity to build its first military bases in Palestine… just in case the Apartheid Regime survives its own suicidal madness.
Those THAAD are totally useless vs hypersonic missiles, for the record.
The manufacturer claims that they can hit hypersonic missiles, but since neither the US nor its allies has one to practice on it's dubious. I suspect that we'll find out soon.
Everybody agrees that they can’t… unless they get extremely lucky, I guess. By the time they arrive the hypersonic missile has already hit its target, gone to the tavern for a beer and back home whistling.
Vietnam ghosts brush off their slumber
So stupid.
The Washington sell out all cash their AIPAC checks and the American people get betrayed.
"The US deployed the missile defense system amid anticipation of an Israeli attack on Iran…" Doesn't sound so much like a 'defensive' system then in the bigger picture. Echoes the anti-nuke war graffito I used to see in the '80s: "STAR WARS = FIRST STRIKE."
There are only 9 THAAD systems in existence, 7 belong to the US, it fires 2 projectiles at each target, and each system comes with only two dozen missiles. They cost $800 million each, I haven't been able to find the cost for refill missiles, or if there even are any.
Edit: Turns out that THAAD needs an extra $400-600 million dollar radar system to work, and that the whole kit and kaboodle requires 100 personnel to operate. "Hey guys, how'd you like to be tripwires? If you die we have an excuse to send in more troops!"
That's why Biden announced that he gave them another $5 Billions for "air defense" today.
Wonder why Netanyahu wants another so soon? Might something have happened to the first and he ain't saying?
He probably found out how few interceptors there are with each.
Hard to know. With Israel, nothing is what it seems. By way of deception they make war.
The US and Israel are so busy focusing on Future IRI retaliation after potential Israeli strike that they would be sloppy on Present tasks on hand…!
The men- and the missiles themselves- are no more than bait for Hezbollah or Iranian incoming fire. If we take any casualties or the system is damaged in any way it will be played as an attack (perhaps it will be a USS Liberty style attack, like as not) and Israel will insist we use it as a precedent for fighting their war.
It will be interesting to see if the THAAD missiles can actually intercept Iran's missiles. Professor Theodore Postol did a presentation on Colonel Davis' Youtube channel where he pointed out that ballistic missiles tend to have a "wavy" reentry pattern which makes it difficult for AD missiles to hit them head on and if you don't hit them head on, the body breaks up but the warhead just keeps going. While it may not hit the target that was intended, it will hit something.
In the case of the THAAD, it is a 'kinetic kill" missile – it has to actually hit the target, not just blow up in its vicinity. This is why it's so expensive: the tech to "guarantee" a kinetic hit is way more sophisticated than just an explosive homing missile.
So unless the THAAD can guarantee a direct hit on the warhead of an Iranian ballistic missile – including the ones that can maneuver somewhat (the so-called "hypersonic" missiles) – there's a good change the THAAD will fail.
The THAAD won’t be a match for IRI hypersonic missiles…!
All of the sophisticated Israeli air defense multi-layer systems that they claimed to be number one in the world were also operational and ready the last time…!!!! Ninety percent of the IRI missiles went through and hit their intended targets,,,!
Their Iron Dome worked adequately against low powered homebuilt missiles which didn't even have guidance systems, mostly because they were launched one or two at a time and there were no decoys or drones to speak of. Launch a dozen at a time and it turns into the Kleenex Dome, and they don't really have any defense against drones or cruise missiles.