The US military deployed in Israel for the first time its most advanced missile defense system as part of an exercise with the Israeli military.
In a statement Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said the United States European Command’s deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) was meant to drill dispatching the system quickly across the world and working together with Israeli air defenses against threats such as long-range ballistic missiles.
“The IDF is working in cooperation with US forces in order to enhance coordination between the two militaries and to strengthen the ability to defend Israeli airspace,” it said. The military stressed THAAD’s presence in Israel was strictly defensive and “not related to any specific event.”
“The IDF is grateful for this exercise and stands ready to protect Israel’s airspace and civilians against a variety of threats from near and far,” the IDF said. (Read More / Watch Video)
