Overview
- Yonhap reported that six THAAD launchers moved to Osan Air Base unloaded interceptors, with up to 48 missiles potentially staged for flights to the Middle East according to sources.
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said his government opposes the withdrawals but cannot block U.S. redeployments, adding that deterrence against North Korea remains intact.
- The Pentagon and U.S. Forces Korea declined to discuss specific movements and said they are maintaining a combat‑credible force posture on the peninsula.
- U.S. officials cited by The Washington Post said parts of a THAAD battery are being shifted and Patriot interceptors are being drawn from the Indo‑Pacific and elsewhere to counter Iranian threats.
- Reports note a THAAD radar in Jordan was damaged in a drone strike and industry is working on replacements and higher interceptor output, reflecting broader strain on air‑defense inventories.