Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder Update on the Deployment of the THAAD Battery to Israel

"Yesterday, October 14, an advance team of U.S. military personnel and initial components necessary to operate the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery arrived in Israel.

Over the coming days, additional U.S. military personnel and THAAD battery components will continue to arrive in Israel. The battery will be fully operational capable in the near future, but for operations security reasons we will not discuss timelines.

The deployment of the THAAD battery to Israel underscores the United States' commitment to the defense of Israel and to defend Americans in Israel from any ballistic missile attacks by Iran."