US plans to send Iron Domes to Israel as F-16 fighter jets arrive in region

The Pentagon has deployed F-16 fighter jets and is providing Israel with two batteries of Iron Dome radar, command posts, and interceptors to enhance the country’s air defence. The plan to flow additional Iron Dome support to Israel was confirmed by a defence official to Fox News. “The U.S. will be flowing additional Iron Dome support to Israel,” the defence official told Fox News. “As a result, the Department of Defence is currently engaged in planning to support the provision of U.S. Iron Dome batteries to Israel.” “In addition to the capabilities that we’ve already announced, I can also confirm that the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrived within U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility today with additional F-16 fighting Falcon Squadron bolstering U.S. posture to deter further aggression in the region,” a Pentagon was quoted as saying by Fox news. Hamas terrorists have launched 3,000 rockets towards Israel since October 7. Israel’s Iron Dome, according to the IDF, successfully intercepted approximately 90 per cent of these projectiles. The system was initially deployed in 2011 and can identify incoming missiles from a distance of about 40 miles. On Monday, the White House announced its intention to fulfil Israel’s additional security requests. President Biden pledged to provide replenishments for interceptors utilized by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system, along with ammunition, and to enhance the U.S. military presence in the region. Meanwhile, Israel has ramped up airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, reducing residential buildings to rubble and crushing families. Airstrikes have killed dozens at a time in levelled homes, according to witnesses. The surging death toll foretells even greater loss of life ahead in Gaza, where Israeli forces are expected to launch a ground invasion seeking to destroy Hamas. Fuel shortages and the bombardment forced the shutdown of medical facilities, Gaza officials said. U.S. and other officials fear the fighting could spill over into a wider regional conflict. The war, on its 19th day Wednesday, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said Tuesday that at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 704 in the past day, and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, according to Israeli officials, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas rampage. In addition, 222 people including foreigners were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, Israel’s military has said. Four of those have been released.