A group of American soldiers has landed in Israel to assist with the operation of a sophisticated anti-missile defense system supplied by President Joe Biden. This deployment comes as tensions rise over the unfolding conflict in the Middle East, particularly concerning missile threats from Iran.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that the first of an expected total of around 100 U.S. troops, along with parts of the missile defense system, have arrived. This marks the first deployment of U.S. personnel in Israel since the attacks by Hamas that reignited the Gaza conflict a year ago, highlighting the worrying escalation of violence.

Major General Pat Ryder, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, confirmed that some components of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system arrived on Sunday and more are en route. “In the coming days, additional U.S. military personnel and THAAD battery parts will keep arriving in Israel,” Ryder stated.

While the system will be up and running “soon,” Ryder did not provide further details for security reasons. He emphasized that this deployment and the THAAD system promote the U.S.’s dedication to protecting Israel and American citizens in the region from potential missile strikes by Iran. On October 1, Iran launched hundreds of missiles at Israel, but most were intercepted successfully.

In response to the October 1 missile assault, Israel has vowed a “lethal, precise, and above all, surprising” retaliation, according to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Iran claimed that their missile barrage was retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Recent Updates:

∎ A police officer was killed and four others injured when a militant opened fire on a highway north of the coastal city Ashdod, according to local authorities.

∎ Israeli airstrikes targeted and killed a Hezbollah commander linked to drone operations against Israel, according to the Israeli military. It remains unclear if Khader Al-Abed Bahja’s unit was involved in a recent drone attack that resulted in the deaths of four Israeli soldiers and injuries to many others.

Violence in Gaza Claims Many Lives Amid Ongoing Clashes

Recent Israeli military operations have led to a significant number of fatalities in Gaza as clashes with Hamas forces escalate. According to Palestinian health officials, Israeli strikes have resulted in numerous casualties, with reports indicating 17 deaths in Al-Falouja in Jabalia, Gaza’s largest refugee camp, and 10 fatalities in Bani Suhaila after a missile hit a residential building. Additionally, eight more were killed in a Nuseirat camp airstrike.

Jabalia has faced over ten days of intense Israeli military activity, as forces return to areas previously subjected to heavy strikes during the year-long conflict. The United Nations human rights office indicated on Tuesday that the Israeli military appears to be entirely isolating northern Gaza from the rest of the territory.

Polio Vaccination Campaign Resumes in Gaza

A new round of polio vaccinations for children in Gaza commenced on Monday, with reports of 92,821 children receiving the vaccine and 76,394 getting vitamin A supplements, as announced by the World Health Organization (WHO). The vaccination effort, focused on central Gaza, will continue through Thursday, with health officials aiming to immunize 179,000 children in central Gaza and nearly 600,000 across the affected region.

“We urge continual humanitarian pauses,” stated Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, on social media. “Let us highlight: the children in Gaza require vaccines and assistance, but most importantly, they need peace.”