Official announcements from the U.S. Department of Defense or Israeli government

U.S. Deploys THAAD Missile Defense System to Israel, Convoy Spotted

Oct 20, 2024, 01:26 PM

The United States has deployed elements of its THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system to Israel. This deployment includes at least two THAAD launchers and several support vehicles, such as generators and fuel trucks. A U.S. military convoy was spotted in Tel Aviv and near Beersheba, indicating the movement of these defense systems. Israel had requested additional THAAD batteries from the U.S., which has a total of seven THAAD batteries worldwide. One battery is permanently stationed in Guam, another in South Korea, and one is already in Israel. The deployment aims to bolster Israel's defense capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions. Each THAAD battery includes six launcher trucks, 48 interceptors, and requires 95 operators. The cost of a THAAD battery ranges from $1 to $1.8 billion.