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Why the US is moving troops and a missile defense battery to Israel
In the coming days, the US will send a missile defense battery and about 100 troops to Israel for the first time since the start of the war against Hamas. How this is connected with Iran's actions and events on the Lebanese front - from the RBC article
What is known about the transfer of American troops to Israel
On October 13, the US Department of Defense announced the transfer of THAAD missile defense batteries to Israel. This will be done on behalf of President Joe Biden in response to “Iran’s unprecedented attacks on Israel on April 13 and October 1.” The transfer will take several days. “THAAD batteries will strengthen Israel’s integrated air defense system. “This action underscores the United States’ steadfast commitment to the defense of Israel and to protecting Americans in Israel from further ballistic missile attacks from Iran,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement. He said this is one of many steps the US has taken to protect Israeli and American citizens from attacks by Iran and its proxies.
According to the New York Times, 100 U.S. troops will be sent to Israel to support the missile defense batteries. The publication notes that they are being sent to Israel for the first time since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. CNN reported that the U.S. rarely sends troops to Israel, and that the 100 number is consistent with the standard number of personnel needed to operate a THAAD battery.
The Wall Street Journal explained that the THAAD system is primarily designed to intercept medium- and short-range ballistic missiles at the end of their flight and is linked to Israel’s plan to strike back at Iran. The October 1 missile attack would also allow the US to show greater flexibility in using missile defense-equipped destroyers, the publication’s sources said. According to the WSJ, the Biden administration did not ask Israel to refrain from striking specific targets in Iran in exchange for deploying artillery batteries, but it was “part of broader discussions about how to handle the situation.”
On the evening of October 1, Iran launched about 180 ballistic missiles at the Jewish state. Most of them were intercepted, but some missiles hit buildings north of Tel Aviv, and explosions were reported in the Negev (in the south) and Sharon (in the central region). Two people were slightly injured, but there were no fatalities. Two US Navy destroyers were involved in intercepting Iranian missiles fired at Israel. The missile strike was Iran’s response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31 and the killing of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Abbas Nilforoushan in Beirut on September 27. This is the second time Iran has directly attacked Israeli territory. The first attack took place on April 13, when more than 300 drones and missiles were used. Israel has promised a response to Iranian attacks that would demonstrate “precise and unexpected offensive capabilities.” The Jewish state’s leadership is reportedly considering attacks on oil facilities or infrastructure linked to Iran’s nuclear program. The United States has also reportedly asked Israel not to attack Iranian energy facilities. Tehran has warned its neighbors that its oil facilities could be the target of retaliation if they open their airspace or territory to Israeli attacks, the WSJ reports.
In response to the US decision to deploy THAAD, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakhchi warned that the US was putting its lives at risk by sending troops to Israel. “We have made great efforts recently to deter full-scale military actions in our region, but we make it clear that there are no red lines in protecting our people and interests,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
The Pentagon said it deployed THAAD to the Middle East last year “to protect U.S. forces and interests in the region.” It did not specify where. In Israel, the U.S. THAAD system was deployed to Nebatim Air Force Base in 2019 when allied forces conducted air defense exercises, and was later deployed to the Negev Desert.
How are American decisions related to events on the Lebanese front?
On the same day that the Defense Ministry announced the transfer of weapons and troops to Israel, drones from the Lebanese group Hezbollah attacked an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) training base near the town of Binyamin, about 60 kilometers from the Lebanese border. The crash killed four soldiers and wounded more than 60, some of whom are in serious condition. Israel Hayom reported that the strike occurred while the soldiers were dining at a restaurant.
Hezbollah said the attack was in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on Beirut on October 10 that killed 22 people and wounded more than 100. The drone was reportedly not detected by air defense systems and the air raid alarm at the base did not go off. IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy, who visited the base, recalled that Israel was in a “state of war” and said the consequences of Hezbollah’s attack on a training base located behind its lines were “painful” for Israel.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant promised that the military would investigate all the circumstances of the incident and draw lessons “quickly and professionally.” “We are concentrating significant efforts on developing solutions to eliminate the threat of drone attacks,” he said. That evening, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called Gallant to offer his condolences and assure him of America’s commitment to Israel’s security, including the deployment of THAAD.
Another topic of discussion between the defense ministers was the situation around UNIFIL, the UN temporary peacekeeping force in Lebanon. According to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to end the Second Lebanon War, only UNIFIL forces and units of the Lebanese regular army are allowed to be located south of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the Israeli border. However, Israeli leaders claim that Hezbollah has deployed infrastructure and firing points not only south of the Litani, but also in close proximity to UNIFIL positions. According to maps published by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, in some cases the distance between them is less than 300 meters. middle.
UNIFIL officials say the Naqura headquarters and fort have been attacked by the IDF. On October 10, two Indonesian peacekeepers were wounded when an Israeli tank opened fire on an observation deck near their headquarters. On October 13, the United Nations reported that two Israeli tanks had entered a peacekeepers’ base in Lamia early in the morning. Notably, the tanks withdrew about 45 minutes after UNIFIL protested that the presence of Israeli troops at the site was putting the peacekeepers at risk. About two hours later, several shells were fired 100 meters from the base. “Fifteen peacekeepers were injured when smoke entered the scene, causing skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions,” UNIFIL said in a statement.
However, the IDF gave a different interpretation, saying that the tank was involved in the evacuation of soldiers wounded by Hezbollah artillery fire and left the peacekeeping post immediately after the enemy ceased fire. "During the incident, a smoke screen was used to prevent the evacuation of wounded soldiers. IDF forces cooperated with UNIFIL. "The IDF's actions throughout the incident did not pose a threat to UNIFIL forces," the statement said.
That same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to evacuate peacekeepers from dangerous areas. According to him, the mission participants are becoming “human shields” and “hostages” for the Lebanese group. “This puts their lives and the lives of our soldiers at risk,” Netanyahu said.
Daniel Danon, Israel’s UN envoy, accused UNIFIL of “ignoring” Hezbollah bases on the border for 18 years and “failing to report violations of Security Council Resolution 1701.” “Hezbollah terrorists use UNIFIL outposts as hideouts and ambush sites. Against this backdrop, the UN’s statement that Unifil soldiers should remain in the line of fire is completely incomprehensible.” The diplomat promised to continue discussing the issue in the future.
Biden called on Israel to completely stop attacks on peacekeepers, and the Pentagon chief asked Israel to guarantee the safety of UNIFIL and Lebanese regular forces.