THAAD missile defense system fully deployed in Israel, says US Defense Secretary

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced on Monday that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system has been deployed in Israel.

Speaking to the press, Austin confirmed the system’s presence, stating, “The THAAD system is in place,” according to a Reuters report. Although he declined to specify if it was fully operational, he assured that the U.S. could activate it swiftly, adding, “We have the ability to put it into operation very quickly, and we're on pace with our expectations.”

When asked about Israel's anticipated response to Iran’s missile attack earlier this month, Austin remarked, “It's hard to say exactly what that strike will look like. Ultimately, it's an Israeli decision. How the Israelis and Iranians perceive proportionality might be very different.”

He concluded by emphasizing the U.S.'s ongoing efforts to reduce tensions: "We're going to continue to do everything we can to dial down the tensions and hopefully get both parties to begin de-escalating. So, we'll see what happens."