The US and Israel have reached an agreement to work together on a multi-layered missile defense system to guard against tactical rockets and longer range ballistic missiles, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

The agreements were reached Tuesday at the Pentagon by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said.

The two sides agreed to form a committee to upgrade and expand their existing missile defense systems to counter "not just the long-range threat coming from Iran, but short range Palestinian rockets coming from Gaza," the spokesman said.

Israel has deployed its Arrow anti-missile system, which was jointly developed with the United States and was said to be able to counter most missile strikes against the Jewish state.

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2007)