According to an announcement by the Pentagon, the U.S. is sending an advanced missile system and troops to operate it to “help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on October 1.”
This marks the first time that American troops have been officially deployed to Israel since the beginning of the war on Gaza, and it comes after Biden specifically said that the U.S. would not send any troops there when asked by a reporter on September 30.
A statement from Pentagon Spokesperson Patrick Ryder noted: “This action underscores the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic missile attacks by Iran. It is part of the broader adjustments the US military has made in recent months to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias.”
A U.S. defense official said that roughly 100 American troops will be deploying to Israel to operate the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery. It provides anti-ballistic missile defense, and they likely intend to use it to help Israel bolster its defenses against any Iranian attacks that may come in response to Israeli strikes.
This type of deployment is highly unusual inside Israel, especially because their own military capabilities are considered very strong, but experts note that the number of troops being sent is appropriate for operating the system.
More fighting between Israel and Iran is expected
The timing is questionable as tensions continue to rise between Israel and Iran, leading some to wonder whether our troops could be killed by Iran and if the U.S. could use such an incident to justify a further escalation. The region is already preparing for a potential Israeli attack on Iran that could broaden the conflict.
The U.S. has already been in discussions with Israel about how it will respond to the missile attacks launched at it by Iran on October 1, when around 180 missiles were fired at various places in Israel, including sensitive military sites. Many of the missiles got through Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, putting the Israeli population on edge.
President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that their response should be “proportional,” and the U.S. has told Israel that they should not target any Iranian oil fields or nuclear sites.
Since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 last year that set the current conflict in motion, the U.S. has taken numerous steps to ramp up its presence in the region, bolstering air defenses and deploying aircraft carriers and warships to the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and eastern Mediterranean. Some American troops have also been sent to Cyprus to assist with evacuation planning.
American officials have not provided a timeline for the deployment of the troops to Israel, but they could well be in the direct line of fire should Iran carry out another missile attack like the one earlier this month.
In a post on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned: "The US has been delivering record amounts of arms to Israel. It is now also putting lives of its troops at risk by deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel. 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."
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