According to AP, it takes about 100 people to operate THAAD and US soldiers will personally control it when the missile defense system is transferred to Israel.
US military leaders say this will put new pressure on the US military in the Middle East in addition to ensuring the safety of commercial waterways in the Red Sea.
Pressure on the need to use THAAD has also increased as the US is deploying the system in the war in Ukraine.
US Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said that air defense and artillery forces must constantly maintain discipline to be able to meet assigned missions at high frequency.
Ms. Wormuth added that they are working to provide the most accurate information about the force situation to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in the hope of being considered to reduce the burden.
On October 13, US President Joe Biden announced that he would deploy more THAAD systems and more troops to Israel to protect allies from attacks by hostile forces, the first time they have appeared in Israel in 5 years. Previously, THAAD was in Israel to serve a US-Israeli exercise in 2019.
Multiple US officials said the THAAD system would be shipped from a location in the US and take several days to reach Israel, a move that has raised concerns about a decline in America’s national defense capabilities.
The decision to provide THAAD comes as Israel is reportedly planning to retaliate against Iran's missile attack in early October. Previously, US President Joe Biden repeatedly called on Israel to remain calm and oppose attacks targeting nuclear facilities or energy supplies in Iran.
Experts say that Israel's defense capabilities will increase significantly after having THAAD, as the country already has the formidable Iron Dome defense system, also provided by the US.
