New Delhi:
The US High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system was used to intercept a ballistic missile fired at Israel from Yemen yesterday. The missile was reportedly fired by Houthi rebels, an Iran-backed group.
The Times of Israel reported that the THAAD system, which the United States deployed in Israel in October, was activated to intercept the missile for the first time. Footage circulated on social media showed the regime launching an interceptor missile, accompanied by the voice of an American soldier shouting: “Eighteen years I have been waiting for this.”
While the Israel Defense Forces confirmed the interception of the missile, it did not specify whether the system used was Israeli or American. However, security sources told the Walla news website that the THAAD system successfully intercepted the missile, the report said.
The deployment of the THAAD system in Israel followed a ballistic missile attack launched by Iran on October 1. The advanced system is capable of intercepting missiles inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
The system – the American THAAD makes its way to Beirut through the Blesti Hotel that meets your needs. Read more about one US outlet’s “18 Years of Discount” pic.twitter.com/s4VoMfMhaF
— Read more 🇮🇱 Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) December 27, 2024
The THAAD system, developed by the United States, is designed to intercept short, medium and medium-range ballistic missiles during their terminal phase. Unlike conventional systems, THAAD relies on kinetic energy to neutralize threats, destroying incoming missiles through impact rather than an explosive warhead.
A standard THAAD battery includes six truck-mounted launchers, each capable of carrying up to eight interceptor missiles, along with a radar and fire control system. The system’s radar can detect threats from a range of 870 to 3,000 kilometers.
The Houthis’ launching of missiles represents the fifth attack of its kind on Israel in just eight days. The Iran-backed group claimed to have targeted Ben Gurion Airport. In response, Israeli warplanes launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including the Haziz power plant and infrastructure at Sanaa International Airport.
The Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel over the past year, according to the Israeli military. However, the majority of these threats were intercepted or did not reach their targets. The group also disrupted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, targeting more than 100 commercial ships and forcing carriers to change their route.
The Houthis have explicitly linked their actions to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which erupted on October 7, 2023, following the Palestinian Hamas movement’s attack on Israel.
