Middle East
US forces shoot down another drone targeting troops in Syria
Staff and wire reports
November 5, 2023
Soldiers deployed to At-Tanf Garrison, Syria, fire an 81 mm mortar weapon system during a readiness exercise on April 22, 2020. U.S. forces shot down another one-way attack drone Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, that was targeting American and coalition troops near a base in neighboring Syria, a U.S. official told the Associated Press. (William Howard/U.S. Army)
U.S. forces shot down another one-way attack drone Sunday that was targeting American and coalition troops near a base in neighboring Syria, a U.S. official told the Associated Press.
Sunday’s attack by drone against a U.S. site in Syria was at least the 32nd on U.S. and coalition military facilities in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17, AP reported. To date there have been at least 17 attacks in Iraq and 15 in Syria. At least 21 service members have been injured by the attacks but all have returned to duty, the Pentagon said.
The Pentagon has said Iran bears the ultimate responsibility for the attacks because they’re being carried out by Iranian proxy groups.
The U.S. has deep concerns that Iran and its proxies, including several militia groups in Iraq, may take advantage of the situation in Gaza to further destabilize the Middle East. Already Iranian-backed militias have intensified rocket and other attacks on U.S. military facilities in Iraq and Syria, drawing at least one retaliatory strike from American forces.
The same U.S. official who confirmed the U.S. shootdown of the drone said the drone strike was very similar to other recent attacks on U.S. personnel at bases in Iraq and Syria and is believed at this point to be linked to Iranian-backed militia. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, AP reported.
In recent days, the Pentagon has moved an additional 1,200 troops to the Middle East, Stars and Stripes previously reported. The troops have three main objectives — supporting Israel, deterring others from escalating the conflict and protecting other American forces in the region. Since the Israel-Hamas conflict began, tensions have continued to flare across the region. U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria are repeatedly being targeted by militant groups backed by Iran.
On Sunday, an Ohio-class submarine arrived in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, CENTCOM tweeted.
Stars and Stripes reporter Doug G. Ware contributed to this report.