# missile defence
Latest news and articles about missile defence
Total: 6 articles found
Missiles Over Riyadh Signal Escalation as Saudi Defences Intercept Strike
Saudi air defences intercepted four ballistic missiles over Riyadh on March 18, triggering the city's first wide-scale mobile air-raid alerts since a joint US–Israeli strike on Iran on February 28. No casualties were reported initially, but the incident raises the risk of regional escalation and will prompt scrutiny of attribution, defence readiness and international responses.
Iran Intensifies Missile Posture in 46th 'True Promise‑4' Operation, Deploying Heavy and Super‑Heavy Rockets
Iran has carried out the 46th round of its “True Promise‑4” military operation, deploying heavy and super‑heavy missiles in exercises that emphasize longer‑range strike capabilities. The manoeuvre is part of a sustained effort to professionalize and publicize Iran’s missile forces, with implications for regional deterrence and security calculations.
Video Shows Entire THAAD Launcher Unit Leaving South Korea for Middle East, Raising Alliance and Regional Security Questions
Surveillance footage and local statements indicate that the six THAAD launchers based at Seongju were moved to the Middle East in early March, a step reportedly mirrored by U.S. redeployments of Patriot batteries from the Indo-Pacific. Seoul says it opposed the transfers but was unable to prevent them, highlighting strains in alliance consultation and raising questions about regional deterrence in Northeast Asia. The episode underscores the trade-offs in U.S. force allocation between competing crises and the potential political cost in partner capitals when weapons stationed on allied territory are reassigned without prior notice.
Iran's IRGC Claims Destruction of Third U.S. THAAD Battery in the Middle East, Raising Stakes for Regional Security
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims to have destroyed a third U.S. THAAD battery, this time at Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti base, after earlier claiming strikes on two systems in the UAE. The announcement, not yet independently verified, heightens regional tensions and poses difficult choices for U.S. and allied responses, with wider implications for deterrence and security in the Middle East.
France and Italy Clear Key Hurdle for Next‑Generation Air‑Defence System
France and Italy have completed reciprocal live‑fire trials of the jointly developed SAMP/T NG air‑defence system, a key milestone before mass production. The tests validate the system’s basic engagement capabilities and reinforce Franco‑Italian industrial cooperation and European options for indigenous air‑defence capabilities.
Washington Clears $9bn Patriot Missile Sale to Saudi Arabia While Approving Major Arms Package for Israel
The U.S. has approved a $9 billion sale of 730 PAC-3 MSE Patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia and a separate $6.67 billion package to Israel that includes Apaches and JLTVs. Washington frames the transfers as defensive steps to protect forces and advance regional security, but the moves carry risks of prompting countermeasures and political scrutiny in Congress.