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A patriot missile battery (file photo)
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| By Israel Insider staff February 18, 2008 |
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Israel has deployed a battery of American-made Patriot air defense missiles near the northern port city of Haifa as defense against a possible attack by Hezbollah in response to the assassination last week of the group's top commander, Imad Mughniyah, Israeli security officials said Monday, according to a report in Haaretz.
The officials said the battery was put on standby Sunday for the first time since Israel's war with Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, when the Lebanese terror group fired nearly 4,000 rockets into northern Israel.
Patriot batteries were first deployed in Israel during the 1991 Gulf War, but failed to stop most of the 39 SCUD missiles launched by Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Originally designed to intercept aircraft, the missiles are now able to shoot down bomb-laden pilotless planes as well as missiles and rockets.
The Israel Defense Forces refused to comment on the report, saying that it was against policy to comment on operational readiness. |
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