U.S. Patriot anti-missile weapons placed in Israel
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A U.S. soldier guards a Patriot missile system in Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
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CNN's Kelly Wallace reports on the deployment of U.S.-supplied Patriot missile batteries to Israel to guard against possible Scud attacks from Iraq. (March 4)
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SPECIAL REPORT
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TEL AVIV, Israel (CNN) -- U.S.-supplied Patriot anti-missile systems were being deployed this week throughout Israel to guard against possible Scud missile attacks by Iraq.
Israeli officials stressed that they don't believe the deployment indicates a U.S.-led war against nearby Iraq is imminent. Instead, they said it is just part of the country's preparations to protect the populace. Deployment was expected to be completed by Wednesday, sources said.
The U.S. Patriots were being deployed in the Tel Aviv area, while German and Israeli Patriots were sent to defend the nation elsewhere.
About 600 U.S. troops stationed in Israel have been taking part in exercises with Israelis to test the Patriots -- a backup to the $2 billion Arrow anti-missile system, which can intercept a Scud at an altitude of 48 kilometers (30 miles).
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said last month that Baghdad no longer has missiles capable of reaching Israel. At the closest point, Israel and Iraq are about 280 kilometers (170 miles) apart.
United Nations resolutions prohibit Iraq's missiles from having a range greater than 150 kilometers (93 miles). But a U.N. Security Council diplomat said a recent report by U.N. weapons inspectors found Iraq's Al-Samoud 2 "went beyond" that range, capable of going about 30 kilometers (about 18 miles) farther than allowed. That would not be far enough to hit Israel.
Israel Defense Forces won't say where the Patriots are being positioned in Israel, but the nation's news media reported that the weapons were being set up in Jaffa, Haifa, and the Negev -- near the Israeli nuclear power plant in Dimona.
Israeli officials say the Patriots' performance has improved. They are much larger and have a better software system than they did during the 1991 Persian Gulf War -- when they were used to fend off Iraqi Scud attacks launched against the Jewish state.
The Patriots failed to halt most of the 39 Iraqi Scud missiles fired at Israel, most of which damaged neighborhoods in and around Tel Aviv.
