Attacks on American Bases in Iraq, Syria Escalate in Wake of War in Israel
The attacks in Iraq, using Iranian-made suicide drones, are believed to be the work of militias in Iraq backed by the mullahs in Tehran, who have publicly threatened American forces in the region.
Assaults on U.S. military bases in the Middle East are increasing since President Biden’s visit to Israel Wednesday, with one base in Syria attacked by drones Thursday and others in Iraq under fire from Iranian-backed militias in the region Wednesday.
Pentagon officials tell the Associated Press that the American al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria was attacked by two drones Thursday. One of them was shot down, but the other managed to cause minor injuries to American troops stationed there.
The base sits near a route often used by Iranian-backed terrorists to ferry weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon and is part of an American campaign against the Islamic State. Some 900 American soldiers are stationed in Syria, and another 2,500 in Iraq.
Thursday’s attack follows similar drone strikes over the past few days against American and coalition bases in Iraq. U.S. forces shot down three unmanned drones Wednesday — two in western Iraq near the Al Asad air base and another in northern Iraq near Erbil, according to the U.S. Central Command.
Syrian opposition activists said Thursday that a drone attack also was conducted on an oil facility in eastern Syria that houses American troops. Three drones with explosives struck the Conoco gas field in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq, according to the reports.
The attacks are just the sort of escalation in the region that American military leaders have been warning about since Israel launched its war against Hamas on October 7. The concern is that Iran and other players in the region will use the war in Israel to stoke anti-American sentiment.
“In this moment of heightened alert, we are vigilantly monitoring the situation in Iraq and the region. U.S. forces will defend U.S. and Coalition forces against any threat,” the Central Command said in a statement.
The attacks in Iraq, using Iranian-made suicide drones, are believed to be the work of militias in Iraq backed by the mullahs in Tehran, who have publicly threatened American forces in the region. The militias released a statement afterward saying there would be further such attacks against the “American occupation” forces in the coming days.
