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THAAD System Set Up Ahead of Israeli Retaliatory Airstrikes on Iran
U.S. Air Defense Support Marks Shift in Israel’s Strategy Against Iranian Threats.
Following the recent deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a large-scale retaliatory operation over the weekend, striking deep into Iranian territory. An estimated 100 Israeli aircraft carried out targeted assaults on multiple military sites in Tehran and other areas, marking a shift from Israel’s shadow war with Iran to direct military engagement. The strikes aimed at neutralizing immediate threats, with the IDF stating they had dismantled missile manufacturing facilities and air defense systems that Iran intended to use against Israel.
“This was a game changer,” Sharona Shir Zablodovsky, a public policy and national security expert, commented. “Israel demonstrated both intelligence and capability, hitting multiple sites in a single night.” According to military analysts, the THAAD deployment not only bolstered Israeli air defenses but also signaled U.S. trust in Israel’s strategic decisions, provided that Israel focused on military rather than civilian targets. “The deployment was a message to both Israel and Iran that the U.S. would back Israeli defense, especially in deterrence,” said Danny Citrinowicz, a research fellow at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies.
The IDF’s focus was reportedly on neutralizing missile facilities and air defenses that might inhibit Israel’s operations. In the wake of the attack, Israeli forces reportedly gained increased aerial freedom over Iran, giving Israel a stronger hand in its ongoing conflict with Iran-backed groups across the region. The THAAD battery and 100 U.S. troops stationed in Israel served as a strategic reinforcement for Israel, enhancing protection against potential retaliation.
The airstrikes on Iran follow a year of escalated hostilities between Israel and Iran’s proxies, with frequent exchanges involving Hezbollah, Hamas, and other groups. The latest attacks also come shortly after Israel neutralized Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a development that Israel believes has weakened Hezbollah’s threat. With Hezbollah partially destabilized, Israeli forces seized this opportunity to strike directly at Iranian capabilities.
In the past, logistical challenges and Iran’s reliance on Hezbollah’s border presence deterred Israeli operations on Iranian soil. Iran has used Hezbollah as a deterrent, positioning the group’s forces along Israel’s northern border to maintain constant pressure. However, with Hezbollah currently recuperating from Israeli offensives, Iran’s leverage has diminished, offering Israel an opening for broader operational freedom. “Iran underestimated how much weakening Hezbollah would give Israel the ability to strike directly on Iranian soil,” Citrinowicz observed.
While Israel is cautious of pushing too far without explicit American backing, its success over the weekend underscores a possible shift toward more proactive responses to Iranian threats. Though Israel refrained from targeting key economic sites like Iran’s oil facilities partly to avoid affecting global markets during the U.S. election season the IDF successfully delivered a message of deterrence without escalating tensions to an unmanageable level.
Iran’s response remains uncertain. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei posted on social media that the damage “should neither be exaggerated nor minimized,” hinting at a measured response. Meanwhile, in Israel, the airstrikes are being celebrated as a decisive success with far-reaching implications. “The fear barrier has been broken,” Citrinowicz noted. “Looking forward, as Iran continues with its nuclear ambitions, Israel’s potential to operate independently in Iranian airspace is a possibility.”
Experts see the current conflict as part of a larger, intricate “chess game,” one that may redefine power dynamics in the Middle East for decades to come. “This is a historical moment that will reshape the region,” Zablodovsky reflected.
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