The Pentagon on Monday strongly criticized Chinese military war games around Taiwan, calling them destabilizing.

The Pentagon criticized recent Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, calling them destabilizing. Dubbed 'Joint Sword-2024B,' these war games represent increased pressure against Taiwan independence.

China launched military exercises around Taiwan as part of what it called a 'stern warning' against 'separatist acts by Taiwan independent forces.'

There are only nine active THAAD batteries in the world, according to its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. Seven of them are assigned to the U.S. Army, operating in Guam and South Korea. The battery that the Biden administration has ordered to Israel presumably would be among those seven.

The THAAD defense system is one of the US military’s most powerful anti-missile weapons, capable of intercepting ballistic missiles at ranges of 150 to 200 kilometers (93 to 124 miles) and with a near-perfect success rate in testing.