New Delhi:
Yesterday, the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system was used to intercept a ballistic missile launched from Yemen towards Israel. The missile was reportedly launched by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
The Times of Israel reported that the THAAD system, which the United States deployed to Israel in October, was activated for the first time to intercept a missile. A video of the system firing an interceptor went viral on social media, with a US soldier shouting, “I’ve been waiting for this for 18 years.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the missile intercept, but did not say whether the system used was Israeli or American. However, security sources told the Walla news website that THAAD had successfully launched a missile attack.
THAAD was deployed to Israel in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on October 1st. This advanced system is capable of intercepting missiles both inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
That’s right. “18 inches 18 inches” pic.twitter.com/s4VoMfMhaF
— Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) December 27, 2024
The U.S.-developed THAAD system is designed to intercept short-, intermediate-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their final stages. Unlike conventional systems, THAAD relies on kinetic energy to neutralize threats, destroying incoming missiles through impact rather than warhead explosion.
A standard THAAD battery includes six truck-mounted launchers, each of which can carry up to eight interceptors, along with radar and fire control systems. The system’s radar can detect threats at a range of 870 to 3,000 kilometers.
The Houthi missile launch was the fifth attack on Israel in just eight days. The Iranian-backed group claimed to have targeted Ben Gurion Airport. In response, Israeli warplanes launched attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen, including the Hiz Yaz power plant and Sanaa international airport infrastructure.
According to the IDF, the Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and more than 170 drones toward Israel in the past year, but the majority of these threats have been intercepted or missed their targets. That’s what it means. The group has also intercepted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, targeting more than 100 ships and forcing carriers to reroute them.
The Houthis have clearly linked their actions to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which erupted on October 7, 2023, following attacks by the Palestinian organization Hamas on Israel.
