The US military deploys a THAAD missile defense system in Israel, March 2019. (US Army Europe/File)
The US transferred a second THAAD anti-missile defense battery to Israel, according to a report published Sunday, amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The Saudi Al-Hadath channel reported that the battery arrived in Israel on Saturday, as Iran and the US have traded threats in recent days surrounding talks over the Iranian nuclear program.
Flight tracking websites showed that an American C-5M Super Galaxy, the US Air Force’s largest transport plane, landed at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel on Saturday and remained there for around eight hours before taking off again.
The THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, is an advanced anti-missile system.
The first THAAD battery was rushed to Israel last year, and around 100 US troops are thought to be deployed to operate the system, which is considered a complementary system to the Patriot system but can defend a wider area, capable of hitting targets at ranges of 150-200 kilometers (93-124 miles). It also integrates with Israel’s existing multi-tier missile defense systems.
The system has been used to intercept several missiles fired at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, including in recent weeks.
The reported transfer of the THAAD system to Israel came a day before Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu was set to arrive in Washington for a visit with US President Donald Trump, where the two leaders plan to discuss “efforts to reach a hostage deal, Israel-Turkey relations, the Iranian threat, and confronting the International Criminal Court,” according to the Prime Minster’s Office.
It will be Netanyahu’s fourth trip to Washington since the war in Gaza began and his second since Trump took office in January. The visit will also make Netanyahu the first foreign leader to negotiate in person with Trump over the US president’s sweeping new tariff policy, which includes a 17% tariff on Israeli goods.
As regards Iran, a report on Channel 12 on Saturday said that Israel is anxious to ensure that, with Trump declaring a readiness to negotiate a new deal designed to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons, Israel’s essential interests would be taken into account. If there are no new negotiations, and with the US sending forces to the region, then Israel needs to coordinate with the US on a potential attack, the report said.
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