Israel bolsters defense with potential THAAD deployment

The deployment of this system to Israel is intended to be one of the stages in preparation to counter another massive attack from Iran. During the last attack, Israel was targeted with ballistic missiles, among other things. These missiles are dangerous because they reach very high speeds after launching (up to Mach 5). There are very few anti-air systems that can effectively deal with ballistic missiles.

Israel is often cited as an example of a country with a very developed and effective missile defense shield. While the Iron Dome typically performs efficiently, Israel itself suggests that the higher tiers of air and missile defense might benefit from further strengthening.

Local media report that this will happen through the transfer of the U.S. THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) air defense system. However, it's worth noting that representatives of the U.S. Department of Defense have not yet confirmed this scenario, stating only that "such deployment is being considered."

THAAD is a missile system designed to intercept short—and medium-range ballistic targets. Given Iran's current threat, this reinforcement could indeed be very valuable for Israel. However, the issue may not be reluctance from the U.S. government but rather the insufficient stockpiles associated with this system. The U.S. has a relatively small number of batteries and a limited number of interceptor missiles.

THAAD can neutralize targets at a distance of up to 125 miles, which move at altitudes of up to 93 miles. Their destruction results from kinetic energy (hit-to-kill). The radar built into the battery, which detects targets, has a range of up to 621 miles.