Key Takeaways
- The 24 US troops injured underscore the growing vulnerability of American forces in the region.
- Drone attacks targeted key sites such as Al‑Tanf Garrison and Al‑Asad Airbase, prompting rapid defensive actions.
- The US has deployed carrier strike groups, including the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gerald R. Ford, to deter further escalation.
Washington: Approximately 24 US troops have been injured in attacks on American bases across Iraq and Syria since the start of the Israel-Gaza conflict, a US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson told Sputnik in a statement.
“Multiple one-way attack drones launched against US and Coalition forces were engaged with one destroyed at al-Tanf Garrison, Syria,” the spokesperson said on Tuesday. “20 personnel sustained minor injuries and were returned to duty with no damage to infrastructure.”
Another four US troops also sustained minor injuries in two separate attacks against US and Coalition forces at Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, according to the spokesperson.
Multiple attack drones were shot down at the base, but one drone destroyed a hanger with small aircraft inside, the spokesperson added.
Earlier in the day, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters that there have been 13 attacks against US forces in the Middle East over the past week, 10 in Iraq and three in Syria.
According to CENTCOM, attacks have also occurred against US forces and personnel in Bashur, Iraq; Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center, Iraq; Mission Support Site Euphrates, Syria; and Mission Support Site Green Village, Syria.
There are some 2,500 US troops in Iraq and another 900 in Syria, according to the Pentagon.
The United States is deploying the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf amid an escalation of attacks on US forces in the region by Iran’s “proxy forces.” Moreover, the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group is positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean to serve as a deterrent to any third parties that might consider joining the conflict against Israel, according to the Pentagon.
