The Occupying Entity’s Air Defense Missile Shortage Prompts U.S. to Send THAAD Battery
October 16, 2024
The political editor wrote
Amid rising tensions and discussions of an impending offensive against Iran, U.S. and “Israeli” statements increasingly point to preparations for retaliatory action. Both nations are acknowledging the severe damage – military, economic, and security-related – that Iran’s responses have inflicted on the occupying entity. As part of this scenario, Washington announced the deployment of a THAAD missile defence battery, the most advanced system in the U.S. arsenal designed to counter missile threats.
Despite the American and Arab media hype surrounding THAAD, experts stress its limited effectiveness. Each battery covers a mere 200 square kilometres, and when considering the complex mountainous terrain across northern Palestine, more than 100 batteries would be required to provide comprehensive coverage. The financial cost of such a defence, including enough missiles to counter salvos, would amount to approximately $600 billion and take three years to fully implement. As a result, Washington opted to send a single THAAD battery capable of firing 50 missiles at once, with an additional 500 missiles for ten rounds of engagements, mainly to protect strategic government institutions in Tel Aviv.
The Financial Times revealed that the occupying entity is rapidly depleting its stock of air defence missiles, including the Patriot systems essential to the Iron Dome. This shortage has resulted from the strain of countering Hezbollah’s missile and drone attacks. The paper noted that many of these missiles and drones breached the Iron Dome’s defences, highlighting the system’s growing vulnerability. Washington, already stretched thin by its commitments to Ukraine, lacks sufficient stockpiles to meet the demands of both the occupying entity and Kyiv. Sending the THAAD battery, like sending tanks to Ukraine, is part of an American effort to compensate for these shortages.
Former U.S. Senior Defense Department official for Middle East affairs, Dana Stroul, underscored the gravity of the ammunition crisis. She warned that “If Iran responds to an Israel attack [with a massive air strike campaign], and Hezbollah joins in too, Israel air defences will be stretched”. She also added that US stockpiles are not limitless, and that the U.S. cannot continue supporting Ukraine and Israel at the same pace, signalling a critical juncture in U.S. defence policy.
Boaz Levy, CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, confirmed that workers are operating around the clock to meet production demands, with some lines running 24/7 to fulfil commitments. Yet, as Haaretz recently reported, the occupying entity has raised the rank of officers authorised to approve the use of heavy munitions, reflecting the dwindling stockpiles and the increasing reluctance of certain countries to export arms to “Israel”.
In Lebanon, while the resistance continues its fierce and heroic battles on the frontlines, inflicting heavy losses on the occupying forces and their equipment, Hezbollah’s missiles rain down by the dozens on northern Palestine, reaching Haifa and beyond. Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary General, declared that the resistance has transitioned from supporting Gaza to waging a national defensive war for Lebanon. He reiterated the party’s readiness for a ceasefire, with broader issues, including the implementation of Resolution 1701, to be discussed afterward. Sheikh Qassem reaffirmed Hezbollah’s view of the entity as a threat to the region and its steadfast support for the Palestinian resistance. He stated that Hezbollah is fully committed to defending Lebanon against the occupation’s aggression, confident in its ability to prevail and force the occupier to concede the failure of its war. He emphasised that the resistance’s missile capabilities and the heroism of its fighters on the frontlines embody the strategy of inflicting pain on the enemy.
