U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria have been targeted multiple times in the last day, with three minor injuries reported, U.S. defense officials said Thursday. The attacks took place as the U.S. conducted another airstrike against an Iranian weapons storage area Wednesday to try to convince Iranian-backed militant groups to cease the hostilities and avoid spurring a larger conflict. According to deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, U.S. and coalition forces have been attacked 46 times since Oct. 17, injuring 56 personnel. All have returned to duty, Singh said.
Quick Read
- U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria have faced multiple attacks in the past day, resulting in three minor injuries, according to U.S. defense officials.
- These attacks coincided with a U.S. airstrike on an Iranian weapons storage area aimed at persuading Iranian-backed militant groups to cease hostilities and prevent a larger conflict.
- Within the last day, militants launched two separate rocket attacks against U.S. and coalition forces at Green Village, Syria.
- A one-way drone attack was carried out against U.S. and Coalition forces at Mission Support Site Euphrates, Syria.
- A roadside bomb was encountered by a U.S. and coalition convoy near the Mosul Dam in Iraq.
- Another one-way attack drone targeted U.S. and coalition forces at the al Asad air base in Iraq.
- The Green Village attacks resulted in three minor injuries, but all personnel returned to duty.
- Defense officials reported no other injuries or damage in these strikes, providing details on condition of anonymity.
- According to Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, there have been a total of 46 attacks on U.S. and coalition forces since October 17, resulting in 56 personnel injuries, all of whom have returned to duty.
The Associated Press has the story:
US troops in Syria & Iraq were attacked several times in past day, official says
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP)
U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria have been targeted multiple times in the last day, with three minor injuries reported, U.S. defense officials said Thursday.
The attacks took place as the U.S. conducted another airstrike against an Iranian weapons storage area Wednesday to try to convince Iranian-backed militant groups to cease the hostilities and avoid spurring a larger conflict
Within the past day, militants have launched two separate attacks using multiple rockets against U.S. and coalition forces operating at Green Village, Syria; a one-way drone attack was launched against U.S. and Coalition forces at Mission Support Site Euphrates, Syria; U.S. and coalition convoy encountered a roadside bomb near the Mosul Dam, in Iraq; and a one-way attack drone was launched at U.S. and coalition forces at the al Asad air base in Iraq.
There were three minor injuries reported in the Green Village attacks but all personnel returned to duty.
No other injuries or damage was reported in the strikes, according to defense officials who provided details of the attacks on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.
According to deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, U.S. and coalition forces have been attacked 46 times since Oct. 17, injuring 56 personnel. All have returned to duty, Singh said.
U.S. forces were targeted in three attacks in Iraq on Thursday but suffered no casualties, a U.S. military official and security sources said, in the most widespread single day of strikes on U.S. assets since the Israel-Hamas conflict started.
There had been four attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria in the past 24 hours, a separate U.S. official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Three U.S. troops had minor injuries and they had returned to duty, the official added.
On Thursday morning, a U.S.-led coalition convoy was targeted by an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the vicinity of Mosul Dam but suffered no casualties, the U.S military official and two security sources said.
The security sources said the patrol was accompanied by Iraqi counter-terrorism forces and that a vehicle in the patrol was damaged.
Also Thursday morning, a one-way drone was launched against U.S. and coalition forces at the Ain al-Asad airbase west of Baghdad but was shot down prior to reaching its target, with no casualties or damage to infrastructure, the U.S. military official said.
A drone was also launched at al-Harir air base in Erbil which house U.S. and international forces but was downed before reaching its target, security sources said.
A statement from Iraqi Kurdistan’s counter-terrorism service, which differs to the Federal Iraqi service, said attacks by drones at the al-Harir airbase caused a fire at one of its fuel depots. It added that the base had been evacuated of U.S.-led coalition forces on Oct. 20.
The U.S. military official said they “don’t have any updates regarding adjustments in force posture throughout Iraq and Syria.”
U.S. and coalition troops have been attacked at least 40 times in Iraq and Syria since early October over Israel’s devastating siege of Gaza in retaliation for Hamas militants’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack.
So far, 56 U.S. personnel have been injured in the attacks with traumatic brain injuries or minor injuries, though all have returned to duty, the Pentagon said.
The U.S. blames the attacks on groups backed by Iran and says Tehran is ultimately responsible, a claim which Tehran denies, saying groups engaging in the attacks were doing so on their own accord.
Iran-backed militias in Iraq have publicly stated that U.S. assets will continue to be targeted as long as the U.S. backs Israel in its war on Gaza.
The latest attacks come after the White House said on Thursday the U.S. military had struck targets in Syria to destroy weaponry and deter Iranian-backed separatist groups from targeting American personnel in the region.
The United States has occasionally carried out retaliatory strikes against Iranian-backed forces in the region after they attack American forces, including a strike on Oct. 26.
