U.S. authorizes deployment of anti-missile defense system and about 100 military personnel to Israel

The U.S. announced on Sunday that it has authorized sending a THAAD anti-missile system to Israel along with a deployment of military personnel to help strengthen Israel’s defense as it prepares for the next developments in its current conflict with Iran and its proxies across the region. 

The news was delivered by Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, according to NBC News. Ryder said that this news underscores the U.S.’s "ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic missile attacks by Iran." 

THAAD stands for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense. It is designed to defend against long-, medium- and short-range ballistic missiles, according to NBC. After last year’s Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, President Biden directed the Pentagon to deploy a THAAD battery to the region to protect American troops and interests in the region. 

President Biden was asked about it on Sunday and said that he had given the order “to defend Israel,” according to The New York Times.

General Ryder said in his statement that the battery would “augment Israel’s integrated air defense system.” It was not immediately clear how quickly the missile defense system and troops, which would number around 100, would arrive in Israel.