Seoul: The deployment of interceptors from a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) US anti-missile system from South Korea to the Middle East is imminent.

According to Anadolu Agency, a report from the Seoul-based Yonhap news agency cited sources indicating that one THAAD battery, currently stationed in Seongju, is on the move. Seongju, located approximately 215 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has been hosting the THAAD system to counter potential threats from North Korea’s military activities.

The report detailed that six truck-mounted THAAD launchers had recently been relocated to Pyeongtaek’s Osan Air Base, nearly 60 kilometers south of Seoul. These launchers have now returned to Seongju after offloading their interceptor missiles. Each of these launchers has the capacity to carry up to eight interceptors, which means that, at full capacity, Osan Air Base had been storing 48 interceptors.

The interceptor missiles are anticipated to be transported to the Middle East soon via US military aircraft. The Washington Post had earlier reported that parts of the THAAD system would be moved from South Korea to the Middle East, aligning with the recent escalation in regional tensions.

This development comes in the wake of joint attacks by Israel and the US on Iran. These attacks, which occurred on February 28, resulted in over 1,200 casualties, including Iran’s then-supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and over 150 schoolgirls. In response, Iran has launched drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and other Gulf countries hosting US military assets.