Barran Press
The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that the United States has finalized arrangements for emergency assistance amounting to $5.2 billion to bolster Israel's air defense systems. This move appears to be a precautionary measure in anticipation of a potential Iranian response to an expected Israeli attack.
Israeli Defense Ministry Director General Eyal Zamir and U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisitions William LaPlante completed the exchange of messages to initiate the emergency aid, according to the Anadolu Agency. The funds will be used to enhance existing systems, including the Iron Dome, David's Sling, and the developing Magan Or laser defense system.
Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli military reported that Washington had deployed the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system in Israel to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, likely in anticipation of Iranian attacks.
Prior to the THAAD deployment, Israel's air defense relied on three systems: Arrow for long-range missile interception, David's Sling for medium-range threats, and Iron Dome for short-range projectiles. However, these systems have struggled to intercept many Iranian missiles.
Estimates indicate that the aid package approved by the Biden administration and Congress totals approximately $8.7 billion.
Since early October, Tehran has been on alert for a potential Israeli strike, following Iran's launch of about 180 missiles toward Israel. Iran claimed these attacks were in retaliation for Israel's assassinations of key figures, including Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, alongside ongoing "massacres" in Gaza and Lebanon.
Since the start of the Israeli offensive in Gaza on October 7, 2023, Washington has provided military, intelligence, and political support to Tel Aviv, in addition to billions in military aid.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 142,000 Palestinian casualties, predominantly women and children, with more than 10,000 reported missing. This has led to widespread devastation and famine, marking one of the worst humanitarian crises globally.
Since September 23, Israel has also been conducting extensive military operations in Lebanon, alongside periodic airstrikes targeting sites in Yemen and Syria.
Israel has occupied Arab territories in Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine for decades and continues to reject the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.