Israeli Defense Forces Brig. Gen. Zvika Haimovich (right) and U.S. Maj. Gen. John L. Gronski sign an agreement during a ceremony at the Bislach Air Base, near Mitzpe Ramon, Israel, Monday. Israel and the United States announced plans Monday to open the first American air base in the Jewish state — a facility that will aim to bolster Israel’s aerial defenses. | AP
Associated Press
BISLACH AIR BASE, ISRAEL —
Israel and the U.S. inaugurated the first American military base on Israeli soil on Monday, which will serve dozens of soldiers operating a missile defense system.
The move comes at a time of growing Israeli concerns about archenemy Iran’s development of long-range missiles. Together with the U.S., Israel has developed a multilayered system of defenses against everything from long-range guided missile attacks from Iran to crude rockets fired from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
