WP: US Patriot, THAAD systems assist Israel to repel Iranian strikes

US-operated Patriot and THAAD missile defence batteries took part in Israel’s air defence operations on the evening of June 13, according to US defence officials speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The deployment, initially carried out under the Biden administration, marked a limited role for US forces in Israel’s defence compared to last year, when American air and naval assets played a more direct role in intercepting incoming Iranian missiles during two major retaliatory strikes, the Washington Post writes.

The United States is also shifting military resources, including ships, to the Middle East in response to the strikes.

Israel launched a massive assault on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13, using warplanes and smuggled drones to strike key sites and kill senior generals and scientists in a bid to halt Iran’s atomic progress. In response, Iran fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, prompting explosions over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

By Sabina Mammadli