US depleted roughly half of THAAD interceptors in defence of Israel: Report

Washington: The US has depleted nearly half of its total inventory of advanced missile-defence interceptors in defending Israel in the now-paused war with Iran, The Washington Post reported.

The United States launched more than 200 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, interceptors in defence of Israel — roughly half of the Pentagon’s total inventory — along with more than 100 Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-6 interceptors fired from naval vessels in the eastern Mediterranean, the Post quoted US officials as saying. 

By contrast, Israel fired fewer than 100 of its Arrow interceptors and around 90 David’s Sling interceptors, some of which were used against less sophisticated projectiles fired by Iran-backed groups in Yemen and Lebanon, the Post report said on Thursday.

The US and Israel started the war with Iran on February 28 with attacks targeted at its military, navy and air force facilities. The attacks have also wiped out top Iranian leadership, including the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.

The hostilities that also saw Iran attack US allies in West Asia have been put on pause following a ceasefire that came into effect on April 8. The US and Iran have since been discussing a peace deal to end the over four decades of hostilities.  “In total, the US shot around 120 more interceptors and engaged twice as many Iranian missiles,” said a US administration official.

If the United States and Israel resume hostilities against Iran in the coming days, as President Donald Trump has threatened to do, the US military is likely to expend an even greater share of interceptors because of a recent decision by the Israeli military to take some of its missile defence batteries offline for maintenance, said an administration official.  “The imbalance will likely be exacerbated if fighting restarts,” the official said.

In a statement, the Pentagon defended the balance of military resources used between Israel and the United States.

“Ballistic missile interceptors are just one tool in a vast network of systems and capabilities that comprise a layered and integrated air defence network,” Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, told the Post.  “Both Israel and the United States carried the defensive burden equitably during Operation Epic Fury, which saw both countries employ fighter aircraft, counter-UAS systems, and various other advanced air and missile defence capabilities with maximal effectiveness,” Parnell said.

The Israeli government also defended the approach. “Operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury were coordinated at the highest and closest levels, to the benefit of both countries and their allies,” the Israeli Embassy in Washington said in a statement. “The US has no other partner with the military willingness, readiness, shared interests, and capabilities of Israel."