The United States sends a new air defense system to the Middle East

The United States will send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and additional battalions of the Patriot air defense missile system to the Middle East in response to recent attacks on US troops in the region, the Pentagon announced Saturday.

The United States has sent significant naval power to the Middle East in recent weeks, including two aircraft carriers, support ships and nearly 2,000 Marines.

“Following detailed discussions with President (Joe) Biden regarding the recent escalation by Iran and its proxies in the Middle East region, today I took a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense’s posture in the region,” he said. Secretary of Defense Lloyd. Austin said in his statement.

Austin said he had ordered the deployment of additional troops, but did not say how many. The Pentagon has already put about 2,000 soldiers on high readiness in case they need to be deployed to the region.

“These measures will strengthen regional deterrence efforts, increase the protection of US forces in the region and assist in the defense of Israel,” Austin added.

The deployments come two years after the Biden administration withdrew air defense systems from the Middle East, citing easing tensions with Iran.

Considered one of the United States’ most advanced air defense systems, the Patriot is often in short supply as allies around the world compete for the system.

The THAAD system has a powerful radar. The United States’ deployment of this system in South Korea in 2016 angered China, which thought it could monitor its airspace.

ATTACKS ON THE US INCREASE IN IRAQ AND SYRIA

There has been an increase in attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria since the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza broke out. Last week, a US warship shot down more than a dozen drones and four cruise missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen.

Israel placed Gaza under “total siege” following a Hamas cross-border attack on southern Israel on October 7, which killed 1,400 people, most of them civilians.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday that Israeli air and missile strikes have killed at least 4,385 Palestinians, including hundreds of children, and displaced more than a million people in the small region of 2.3 million. population.