The Pentagon has confirmed it is sending a high-altitude anti-missile system operated by US troops to Israel
Officials say the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery will bolster Israeli air defences after Iran’s missile attack on the country earlier this month
US President Joe Biden has said it is meant "to defend Israel" which is still expected to retaliate against an Iranian strike involving more than 180 ballistic missiles fired at Israel on 1 October 2024
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The move has become the focus of attention as it involves putting American boots on the ground in Israel
There are already a small number of US forces in the country - but this new deployment of about 100 troops is significant as it signals further US entanglement in the expanding regional war
It is also being scoured for clues as to what it means about the effectiveness of Israel’s missile defences as the crisis grows
It’s still unclear whether the THAAD deployment is part of US contingency planning to bridge gaps identified in Israel’s aerial defences or whether it points to growing concerns in Washington of a more forceful Israeli strike on Iran
Israel has yet to launch its retaliation for Iran’s attack, which will be "lethal, precise and above all, surprising" according to Defence Minister Yoav Gallant
President Biden has opposed any attack on Iranian nuclear facilities as well as on its oil or energy infrastructure, amid fears that it would trigger a spiralling conflict and affect the global economy
Whatever the background to the decision, it signals a further need by Israel for US defence assistance amid the expanding war
Politically, the THAAD announcement is couched in terms of the Biden administration’s "ironclad" support for Israel’s defence The US has sent more than 50,000 tonnes worth of weapons to Israel in the last year, according to Israeli figures
