Latest news with #ArleighBurke-class
Mint
a day ago
- Politics
- Mint
US races to defend Israel as it burns through missile interceptors
The U.S. is racing to reinforce Israel's defenses, sending more warships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles to the region as Iranian attacks drain Israel's stocks of interceptors. An additional U.S. Navy destroyer arrived in the eastern Mediterranean on Friday, joining three others in the area and two in the Red Sea. The ships are operating close enough to Israel to be able to intercept missiles fired by Iran, a defense official said. Most of the U.S.'s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers are armed with a range of interceptors, known as SM-2, SM-3 and SM-6, that can shoot down ballistic missiles and other aerial threats. SM-3s, first used in combat last year to counter an Iranian attack, are designed to intercept missiles above the atmosphere in the middle of their flight paths. The U.S. has also replenished stocks of ground-based interceptors for the Thaad antimissile system it set up in Israel last year. Formally known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, the system is operated by the U.S. Army and designed to intercept missiles inside or outside the atmosphere during their final phase of flight, known as the terminal phase. The surge of seaborne and ground-based missile defenses underscores the concerns about Israel's dwindling supplies of the armaments. Israel risks exhausting its supply of high-end Arrow 3 interceptors in the coming weeks if its conflict with Iran isn't resolved and Tehran continues to launch volleys of missiles, a U.S. official said. Israel uses several different systems to provide a multilayered defense of the country. The well-known Iron Dome works on shorter-range rockets and drones. David's Sling intercepts missiles, planes and drones at a greater distance. The Arrow 3 is the crown jewel, designed to intercept missiles above the Earth's atmosphere. It can neutralize threats before they cross into Israeli airspace and give other systems time to act if the first shot misses. 'Without Arrow 3, it's problematic," said Timur Kadyshev, a researcher at the University of Hamburg who has studied the Arrow system. 'You have less time to shoot down an incoming missile because you're shooting them only in the terminal phase." Israel Aerospace Industries, the company that makes Arrow interceptors, didn't respond to requests for comment. Israel's armed forces also declined to comment on interceptor stockpiles, but said they are ready to handle any scenario. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview Thursday with Israel's public broadcaster Kan, declined to answer whether Israel was running out of Arrow 3 interceptors. 'I would always like more and more," Netanyahu said. He estimated that Israel has destroyed around half of Iran's missile launchers since the current conflict began, thereby diminishing the threat posed by Iran's missile arsenal. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Trump had approved attack plans for Iran, but was holding off on giving the final order to see if Tehran would abandon its nuclear program through diplomacy. The waiting period will keep the onus on Israel to continue the fight even as its ability to defend against missile attacks runs down. 'There's no time to lose, and two weeks is a very long time," said Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Israel is using its control of the skies over western Iran to take out more missiles before they are launched. Its air superiority could also force Iran to fire from farther away, which means using liquid-fueled missiles that take more time to get ready, making them more vulnerable to attack. Still, Tehran has continued to fire volleys of missiles at Israeli population centers. If Iran keeps up its attacks, Israel in the coming days might be forced to make difficult decisions about husbanding its resources and giving priority to which missiles to intercept, Kadyshev said. The U.S. is facing its own concerns about supplies of interceptors. Supplies diverted to the conflict in the Middle East are coming at the expense of those available in the event of a bigger conflict with China. 'We are concerned for the number remaining for the high-end fight," said a U.S. officer who has operated in the Middle East. 'SM-3s will start running low at this pace of operations, cutting into reserves for the next kinetic engagement." The U.S. might also face tough decisions about how many interceptors to exhaust if the fighting drags on. It rushed missile defenses to its Persian Gulf partners after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel kicked off what would become more than a year and a half of war. Those defenses are politically and militarily important. Gulf countries have pressed the U.S. to take a more active role in their defense, and Iran has threatened to hit American bases in the Gulf and elsewhere in the region if the U.S. joins Israel in the attack. Israel's conflict with Iran is costing the country hundreds of millions of dollars a day, according to early estimates, a price tag that could constrain Israel's ability to conduct a lengthy war. The biggest single cost is the interceptors, which can run up tabs of tens of millions to even $200 million a day.
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
U.S. shifts military resources in Mideast in response to Israel strikes and possible Iran attack
The United States is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to Israel's strikes on Iran and a possible retaliatory attack by Tehran, two U.S. officials said Friday (June 13, 2025). The Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to begin sailing toward the Eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward, so it can be available if requested by the White House. President Donald Trump is meeting with his National Security Council principals to discuss the situation. The two U.S. officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependents voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect those personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran. U.S. military presence in Middle East There are typically around 30,000 troops based in the Middle East. However, that number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. The Hudner is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is capable of defending against ballistic missiles. On October 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
The Hill
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
US shifting Middle East military assets after Israel attacks Iran
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to Israel's strikes on Iran and a possible retaliatory attack by Tehran, two U.S. officials said Friday. The Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to begin sailing toward the Eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward, so it can be available if requested by the White House. President Donald Trump is meeting with his National Security Council principals to discuss the situation. The two U.S. officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependents voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect those personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran. There are typically around 30,000 troops based in the Middle East. However, that number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. The Hudner is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is capable of defending against ballistic missiles. On Oct. 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US shifts military resources in Mideast in response to Israel strikes and possible Iran attack
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to Israel's strikes on Iran and a possible retaliatory attack by Tehran, two U.S. officials said Friday. The Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to begin sailing toward the Eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward, so it can be available if requested by the White House. President Donald Trump is meeting with his National Security Council principals to discuss the situation. The two U.S. officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependents voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect those personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran. There are typically around 30,000 troops based in the Middle East. However, that number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. The Hudner is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is capable of defending against ballistic missiles. On Oct. 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
Hamilton Spectator
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
US shifts military resources in Mideast in response to Israel strikes and possible Iran attack
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to Israel's strikes on Iran and a possible retaliatory attack by Tehran, two U.S. officials said Friday. The Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to begin sailing toward the Eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward, so it can be available if requested by the White House. President Donald Trump is meeting with his National Security Council principals to discuss the situation. The two U.S. officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependents voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect those personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran. There are typically around 30,000 troops based in the Middle East. However, that number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. The Hudner is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is capable of defending against ballistic missiles. On Oct. 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
