War in Iran: the United States did not transfer the key THAAD missile defense system from South Korea to the Middle East

In early March, a report in South Korea accused the United States of transferring a THAAD missile defense system to the Middle East to support its engagement in Iran. However, this turned out to be false.

During a hearing before a Senate committee, the commander of US forces in Korea denied the revelations made by The Washington Post on March 10.

“We have not moved any THAAD system, so THAAD remains currently on the peninsula,” said General Xavier Brunson in response to a question from Democratic Senator Gary Peters.

“But we are sending ammunition to the area, which is currently waiting to be relocated,” the commander tried to explain to justify the misunderstanding. “There have been previous movements, during which radars were advanced. This occurred before Operation Midnight Hammer (the US operation in Iran in June 2025).”

A photo released in early March by the Yonhap news agency showed elements of a THAAD battery being dismantled in Seongju County, about 220 km southeast of Seoul. “I was moving them dynamically to then transport them to Osan Air Base to prepare for the transport of ammunition, which caused a stir in the peninsula,” admitted General Xavier Brunson.

The THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system is a key component of the American missile defense system in every conflict. It is capable of destroying short-range (up to 1,000 km), medium-range (1,000 to 3,000 km), and intermediate-range (3,000 to 5,000 km) ballistic missiles in their final phase of flight or when they approach their target.

This high-performing system was deployed in South Korea to defend against North Korea, which has nuclear weapons.