The U.S. Department of Defense stressed that the recent attacks in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed armed groups are a serious threat, expressing significant concern over the series of attacks that targeted American soldiers. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, in response to a question from Al Arabiya/Al Hadath on Thursday evening, stated that the United States is very worried about these attacks and considers them a serious threat, adding, "We were fortunate that only two people were slightly injured on Wednesday." He continued, questioning, "Who knows what could have happened if it were different?"
Lethal Weapons
He also added, "They are using lethal weapons; I don’t know what else to call it but a serious threat." These statements came after attacks were carried out on military bases in Iraq and Syria, as well as around the U.S. embassy in Baghdad over the past two days, in an attempt to target American diplomats and soldiers. On Wednesday alone, three attacks with rockets and a drone were conducted, one of which involved at least 14 rockets fired towards the Al-Asad airbase in Anbar, Iraq, that hosts American forces, resulting in injuries to two soldiers.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which are part of a wave targeting U.S. forces or regions where they are stationed, in either Iraq or eastern Syria. Analysts believe these are part of a campaign by Iran-backed armed factions.
Arrest of Involved Individuals and Evidence Collection
It is worth noting that Iraqi authorities announced earlier on the same day that they had arrested individuals involved in attacking Al-Asad. Joint Operations Command spokesman Tahseen al-Khafaji stated that targeting that military base, the Green Zone, and Erbil airport amounts to a security breach, confirming that important evidence has been gathered, according to the Iraqi News Agency "INA." He revealed that the truck used in the attack on Al-Asad was tracked from Baghdad via surveillance cameras, indicating that it was camouflaged by loading tons of flour and foodstuff to hide the rockets.
Over 45 Attacks
Since the beginning of 2021, more than 45 attacks have targeted U.S. interests in Iraq, where 2,500 American soldiers are deployed as part of an international coalition to combat ISIS. The recent use of drones has become a source of concern for the coalition, as these flying devices can evade the defenses that the U.S. military has installed to protect its forces from rocket attacks.
