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Israel deploys missiles in nine places in preparation for war
Jerusalem, Jan 21: Israel has deployed nine anti-missile batteries across the country in recent weeks as part of preparations for Iraqi retaliation for a possible US military offensive against Baghdad, Israeli media reported today.
Jerusalem, Jan 21: Israel has deployed nine anti-missile batteries across the country in recent weeks as part of preparations for Iraqi retaliation for a possible US military offensive against Baghdad, Israeli media reported today.
A map of the country showing the deployment of seven patriot and two arrow batteries was published today in the ‘Yediot Ahronot’ newspaper under a headline reading “protected skies”. The graphic showed three batteries of the US-made patriots in the greater Tel Aviv area, which was the target of most of the 39 Iraqi scud missiles fired at Israel during the 1991 Gulf war. The scuds, fitted with conventional warheads, caused damage but few casualties. Another picture showed patriots near Haifa University in the center of the coastal city.
A battery of arrow missiles, a system developed jointly by the United States and Israel, were deployed south of Tel Aviv and another near the northern town of Hadera. In addition, a missile command center has been set up in the Jerusalem mountains, overlooking Tel Aviv, the map showed. American and Israeli troops have begun a joint exercise in Israel to test the air defence system, which includes a US radar boat that arrived in the eastern Mediterranean Sea this week, a western diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
Israeli army spokeswoman Capt Sharon Feingold confirmed the exercise is underway but would not say how many missile batteries had been deployed or where in the country.
Three patriot batteries that will remain in the country at least until the exercise is over in the second week of February, depending on how probable a war is, the diplomat said.
Bureau Report
A map of the country showing the deployment of seven patriot and two arrow batteries was published today in the ‘Yediot Ahronot’ newspaper under a headline reading “protected skies”. The graphic showed three batteries of the US-made patriots in the greater Tel Aviv area, which was the target of most of the 39 Iraqi scud missiles fired at Israel during the 1991 Gulf war. The scuds, fitted with conventional warheads, caused damage but few casualties. Another picture showed patriots near Haifa University in the center of the coastal city.
A battery of arrow missiles, a system developed jointly by the United States and Israel, were deployed south of Tel Aviv and another near the northern town of Hadera. In addition, a missile command center has been set up in the Jerusalem mountains, overlooking Tel Aviv, the map showed. American and Israeli troops have begun a joint exercise in Israel to test the air defence system, which includes a US radar boat that arrived in the eastern Mediterranean Sea this week, a western diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
Israeli army spokeswoman Capt Sharon Feingold confirmed the exercise is underway but would not say how many missile batteries had been deployed or where in the country.
Three patriot batteries that will remain in the country at least until the exercise is over in the second week of February, depending on how probable a war is, the diplomat said.
Bureau Report