Speaking to a Fox News panel during a broadcast of US President Donald Trump’s military parade over the weekend, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth admitted that his department diverted air defenses meant for Ukraine to the defense of Israel, instead, claiming it was for the safety of American people and assets there.
When asked if he had re-directed those assets to the Middle East, Hegseth said, “Yes, we did.”
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Hegseth referred the Trump-friendly panel to his recent testimony in the US Congress this week, where he was specifically asked about Ukraine.
“One of the questions I was asked was: ‘Did you move some of your counter-UAS – counter-unmanned aerial systems defenses – from Ukraine to the Middle East?’ To which I answered, ‘Yes we did’.”
After putting forth the idea that there are a lot more American citizens in Israel and US assets to protect, the politically embattled defense secretary insisted, “We’re using all assets available to protect our people.”
“Smaller systems like that can pose a big threat. We are as prepared as we can be,” Hegseth said. “It’s a different landscape in defense these days.”
Earlier this month, the Trump administration decided to redirect parts for the 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) rockets promised to Ukraine as part of the Biden administration’s $3.85 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
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The APKWS missiles are the key component of the L3 Harris VAMPIRE counter-drone system, thirty or more of which have been provided to Ukraine as a key element of protection for its formations against Russian drones.
On Sunday, Israel unleashed another wave of strikes across Iran on Sunday and Tehran hit back with fresh missile barrages, as both sides threatened more devastation in a conflict that appeared to be intensifying.
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