The US military will send an anti-missile system to Israel to strengthen its defense against a possible attack by Iran

The Biden administration will temporarily send US troops and a ground-based interceptor that fires ballistic missiles to Israel to strengthen its defense against Iran, a US official confirmed to CBS News on Sunday.

Posting of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile program is described as a way to “strengthen Israel’s defense against ballistic missiles” and “any future ballistic missile attack from Iran.”

A US official told CBS News that about 100 troops will head to Israel.

Pentagon Press Secretary, Maj. General Pat Ryder confirmed the deployment in a statement later released to the media, saying THAAD will “enhance Israel’s integrated air defense system” following Iran’s “unprecedented attack”. April 13 and continue October 1.” He said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of the THAAD battery at the behest of President Biden.

“This action underscores the commitment of the United States to defend Israel, and to defend the American people in Israel, against any ballistic missile attack by Iran,” he said. “It is part of the broader changes that the US military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and to protect the American people from attacks by Iran and Iranian-allied forces.”

In a brief interview with reporters before leaving Florida on Sunday, Biden said he agreed to use the THAAD battery “to protect Israel.” Biden spoke at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa after a quick sightseeing visit damage caused by Hurricane Milton and meet first responders, residents and local leaders.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran appeared to warn the US to stop its troops from Israel.

The comments came from a social media site X has long been associated with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who helped broker Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

In the message, Araghchi referred to the US possibly sending one of its THAAD systems to Israel. Any move to one of the systems, known by the acronym THAAD, in Israel would involve sending troops to operate the complex system.

“The US has been delivering record amounts of weapons to Israel,” X’s message read. “Now it is putting the lives of its soldiers at risk by sending them to use US missile systems in Israel.”

He added: “Although we have made great efforts in recent days to stop the endless war in our region, I say clearly that we do not have a red line in protecting our people and interests.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment on the remarks, made by Iranian state media.

Israel is believed to be planning to attack Iran over its missiles in Israel earlier this month, AP reported. It was Iran’s second direct attack on Israel during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war that has expanded into Lebanon and involved other Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the region.

The US previously deployed THAAD to the Mideast last year after the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and temporarily deployed THAAD to Israel in 2019 for combat testing.

Margaret Brennan contributed to this report.