U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke on Wednesday about Israel’s operations in Lebanon and the deployment of a U.S.-supplied THAAD (Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense) system to Israel.
“Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant discussed the deployment of a THAAD battery as a tangible example of the United States’ unwavering support for Israel’s defense,” said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, in a statement.
During the call, Austin also urged the Israeli government to continue efforts to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. He acknowledged Israel’s recent steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave, according to Ryder’s statement.
This conversation follows reports that Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a letter to their Israeli counterparts over the weekend, warning that U.S. military aid to Israel could be at risk if Israel did not take further actions to improve the humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
The THAAD defense system is one of the most advanced anti-missile weapons in the U.S. arsenal, capable of intercepting ballistic missiles at distances of 150 to 200 kilometers (93 to 124 miles) with a near-perfect success rate in tests. It is the only U.S. system that can engage and destroy short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles both inside and outside the atmosphere during the terminal phase of flight.
