US Thaad anti-missile system rushed to Israel and now 'in place'

KYIV – The US military has rushed its advanced anti-missile system to Israel, and it is now "in place", Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

- REUTERS

Thaad, or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system, is a critical part of the US military's layered air defence systems and adds to Israel's already formidable anti-missile defences.

"The Thaad system is in place," Mr Austin said, speaking to reporters before his arrival in Ukraine on Oct 21.

He declined to say whether it was operational, but added: "We have the ability to put it into operation very quickly, and we're on pace with our expectations.”