Two separate attacks on US forces based in Iraq and Syria last week injured over a dozen American service members at a particularly tense moment in the Middle East. The attacks - which the Department of Defense has attributed to Iran-backed militias - came as the region remains on high alert, waiting to see whether Tehran and its proxy forces retaliate against Israel in response to the recent killings of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on July 31 that he doesn't yet 'see a return to where we were several months ago.' 'Certainly, we'll keep our eye on this,' he added. 'The safety and protection of our troops is really, really important to me.'
The first of the recent attacks that resulted in unspecified injuries among US troops occurred on August 5, when two rockets fired by an Iran-backed militia struck al-Asad airbase in Iraq. Four US service members and one contractor were injured. Days later, on August 9, a one-way attack drone launched by Iran-backed militia forces hit Rumalyn Landing Zone, a base in Syria. The strike injured eight American service members.
Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in early October, US troops in these countries came under regular attacks, raising concerns about the safety of American forces and the potential for broader regional instability.
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