A United States military base in eastern Syria was attacked by a one-way drone, according to a U.S. defense official.
Initial reports do not indicate there were any injuries in the attack, but the official said that medical evaluations and a damage assessment following the attack were ongoing.
“On Aug. 9 at about 5 p.m. ET, there was an attack using a one-way attack uncrewed aerial system (OWAUAS) against U.S. and Coalition forces at Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria,” said the defense official.
The attack is the latest indication that Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq and Syria may have resumed attack on bases in both countries following a monthslong pause.
Social media posts have indicated that a fire may have resulted from the attack.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) seal in the Pentagon Briefing Room in Arlington, Virginia., U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. President Biden yesterday declared an end to two decades of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, offering an impassioned defense of his withdrawal and rejecting criticism that it was mishandled. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Earlier this week, five Americans were injured when two rockets struck the sprawling Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq. The Pentagon has blamed that attack on Iranian-backed militia groups but has not determined specifically which group is responsible.
There are currently about 900 American military personnel still operating in Syria where they support local Kurdish forces in preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State. There are about 2,500 U.S. military personnel in Iraq also participating in a counter-ISIS mission.
Since Oct. 18, there have been close to 170 attacks taking place on a nearly daily basis as Iranian-backed militia groups target U.S bases in Iraq and Syria, supposedly in retaliation for the Israel-Hamas war.
Those attacks largely stopped after Feb. 4 following large-scale U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria and a drone strike that killed a top-level leader of the Kataib Hezbollah militia group that the U.S. held responsible for the attacks.
However, there have now been a small number of attacks on U.S. bases since mid-July that had not resulted in any damage or casualties until this week’s injuries in the attack on the base at Al-Asad.
U.S. officials have indicated that Iran may enable its proxy groups in the region to resume attacks on U.S. bases as part of a plan to retaliate for the assassination of a top Hamas leader in Tehran last week that Iran blames on Israel.
Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters that the U.S. was putting in place force protection measures “to protect our troops and also make sure that we’re in a good position to aid in the defense of Israel if called upon to do that. So you’ve seen us do a number of things to strengthen our force posture.”
“So we’ll see how this evolves, but I won’t speculate on any specific action by Iran or any other Iranian-backed group going forward,” he added.
On Tuesday, a drone attack targeted a US military base in Syria, but fortunately, no injuries were reported. The incident occurred at the Al-Tanf base, which is located near the Syrian-Iraqi border and is used by US forces to train and equip local Syrian fighters in the ongoing battle against ISIS.
According to reports, multiple drones were used in the attack, but they were intercepted and destroyed before they could cause any harm. The US military has not yet identified the perpetrators of the attack, but it is believed to be the work of Iranian-backed militias operating in the region.
This incident highlights the growing threat posed by drones in modern warfare. Drones have become increasingly popular among militant groups and terrorist organizations due to their ability to carry out precision strikes with minimal risk to their operators. In recent years, there have been several high-profile drone attacks on military bases and other targets around the world.
The US military has been investing heavily in counter-drone technology to protect its forces from such attacks. This includes systems that can detect and track drones, as well as anti-drone weapons that can shoot them down before they reach their targets. In this case, it appears that these measures were successful in preventing any casualties.
Despite the lack of injuries in this particular incident, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing security challenges faced by US forces in Syria and other conflict zones. The threat of drone attacks is just one of many dangers that soldiers must contend with on a daily basis. As the conflict in Syria continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see more attempts to target US forces with drones in the future.
In response to this latest attack, the US military has vowed to remain vigilant and continue to take all necessary precautions to protect its personnel and assets in Syria. While no injuries were reported this time, the potential for harm remains very real, and it is essential that the military remains prepared for any future threats that may arise.
