Drone Attack on American Barracks in Erbil

American officials reported that "an explosives-laden drone believed to have been launched by Iranian-backed factions crashed on the upper floor of an American barracks at a base in Iraq but did not explode, highlighting the risks faced by U.S. forces in the Middle East during the conflict." The Wall Street Journal attributed to defense officials that if the drone had exploded at Erbil Air Base on October 25, it could have resulted in the deaths and injuries of American soldiers. There were no reports of injuries. The attack raised concerns about a potential assault on American ground forces, even after the Pentagon sent several air defense systems to the region last week to protect nearly 2,500 U.S. soldiers in Iraq and 900 soldiers in Syria. An American defense official stated, "They aim to kill... We have been lucky."