Washington, March 10 (SANA) – The United States has begun transferring components of its missile defense systems from South Korea and the Indo-Pacific region to the Middle East amid rising regional tensions.
According to The Washington Post, citing two informed sources, Washington has started moving elements of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense from bases in South Korea to the Middle East, alongside advanced MIM-104 Patriot interceptors to strengthen defenses against potential threats from Iran.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said during a cabinet meeting that his country “cannot prevent U.S. forces from shipping some weapons abroad,” stressing that the move would not affect the effectiveness of South Korea’s military deterrence.
He noted that debate has recently intensified over the transfer of certain U.S. weapons systems, adding that South Korea is not in a position to impose demands or objections regarding such decisions.
The THAAD system was originally deployed to enhance South Korea’s defense capabilities against missile threats from North Korea.
Last June, the United States deployed three Patriot batteries—out of eight stationed in the region—to the Middle East.
The redeployment comes as the Middle East faces growing military escalation following the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and subsequent Iranian responses, which have contributed to wider regional instability.
