Sending a THAAD air defense system to Israel adds to strain on US Army forces

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Army leaders say the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to Israel and roughly 100 soldiers to operate it will add to strains on the Army’s air defense forces. The top two Army leaders said Monday that it also adds potential delays in modernizing the service’s missile defense systems. They declined to provide any details on the deployment ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over the weekend. But they spoke broadly about their concerns as the demand for THAAD and Patriot missile batteries continues to grow due to the war in Ukraine and the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah and Hamas militants.