By Dave DeCamp / Antiwar.com
A Pentagon official said on Monday that US forces in Iraq and Syria have come under attack at least 13 times since October 17 due to President Biden’s support for Israel’s onslaught in Gaza.
“From October 17 to October 30, US and coalition forces have been attacked at least 14 separate times in Iraq and nine separate times in Syria, through a mix of one-way attack drones and rockets, for a total of 23 attacks to date,” an unnamed senior Pentagon official told reporters.
According to Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the US is “defining attacks as strikes on our facilities,” signaling reports of drones being downed outside of US bases are not included in the tally. So far, 21 injuries have been acknowledged by the Pentagon in the attacks on US troops.
In response to recent attacks, the US launched airstrikes on Friday against “facilities” used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups, referring to Shia militias that operate in Iraq and Syria. The White House said one purpose of the strikes was to deter future attacks, but drones and rockets have continued to be fired at US outposts in the two countries.
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Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen reported there were more attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria on Monday, which have not been confirmed by the Pentagon. A group that calls itself the Islamic Resistance of Iraq has taken credit for many of the attacks, but the US has not attributed them to a specific group. The US says Iran is ultimately responsible for the attacks, although there’s no evidence Tehran is directing them.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the US launched more airstrikes in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province on Monday against “Iranian-backed militias,” but the strikes have not been confirmed.
Dave DeCamp
Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.