Israel Deploys Patriot AntiMissile Systems

Israel has deployed the American-made Patriot Antimissile systems as of today. These large size antimissile weapons are intended to stop large missiles such as Scuds or No Dong missiles such as Syria or Iran could launch. Whether this indicates that Israel intends to widen the war to include Syria and Iran or not is a very important question. These antimissile defenses are not intended to shoot down smaller rockets, only larger missiles. Against smaller rockets these antimissile weapons are not cost effective, and are far larger than the rockets themselves, leaving a larger mass to fall and cause damage.

Whether the deployment of these antimissile defenses is merely prevention against any possible launches by Syria or Iran is one thing. The other is that it may prove that Israel has a larger military intent against Syria or Iran. That should be enough to send a cold chill up the spine of any who wish for a ceasefire or for peace in the region.