The U.S. Department of Defense, known as the Pentagon, has revealed that U.S. and allied forces in Iraq and Syria were targeted at least 13 times last week by drones and missiles.
According to NBC News, citing U.S. Central Command, 24 American soldiers were injured last week in drone attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria, noting that the injuries were minor.
Several armed factions close to Iran have threatened to attack American interests due to Washington's support for Tel Aviv following the attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in over 1,400 fatalities in Israel.
Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder stated to reporters that "between October 17 and 24, U.S. and coalition forces were attacked at least 10 separate times in Iraq and three separate times in Syria," referring to the international coalition against ISIS.
He explained that the attacks were carried out using "a mix of one-way attack drones and missiles," describing the figures as "preliminary."
Ryder added, "What we are seeing is the potential for increased escalation in the very near term against American forces and personnel across the region by Iranian proxy forces, and ultimately by Iran itself."
The United States has approximately 900 soldiers in Syria and 2,500 soldiers in Iraq as part of efforts to combat ISIS, which previously controlled vast areas in both countries before being defeated by local forces supported by airstrikes from a U.S.-led international coalition.
