On Monday, U.S. troops successfully downed two drones aimed at Al-Asad air base in Iraq’s Anbar province. This base houses U.S. military personnel and the drone attack represents the first such threat since February. The Pentagon reported these attacks were orchestrated by Iranian-backed militias, marking a renewal of hostilities which had seen a pause.
The downing of the drones occurred a day after a separate incident involving rocket fire from Northern Iraq towards U.S. forces stationed at Rumalyn, in northeastern Syria. A coalition aircraft subsequently neutralized the rocket system responsible for the attack, which the U.S. military described as a self-defensive measure against a failed attack attempt. Adding to the details of this incident, the U.K. Ministry of Defense has released footage revealing that the counterattack on Sunday against a truck-mounted with a Multiple-Launch Rocket System was conducted by two Eurofighter Typhoons from the Royal Air Force, utilizing Paveway IV Laser-Guided Bombs.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense has released Footage today which reveals that Sunday’s Airstrike against a Truck mounted with a Multiple-Launch Rocket System in Northern Iraq, that was firing on U.S. Forces in Northeastern Syria, was conducted by 2 Eurofighter Typhoons with the… pic.twitter.com/HOMnG2AlQw
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 26, 2024
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon press secretary, addressed the media, confirming these incidents as the first attacks on facilities hosting U.S. service members since February 4. Ryder emphasized the U.S. commitment to defending its forces and has urged the Iraqi government to take necessary measures to protect U.S. personnel. Despite these incidents, it remains unclear if the rocket attack was specifically targeting U.S. forces, as some reports suggest the rockets were malfunctioning and firing indiscriminately.
These recent attacks disrupt a period of relative quiet for U.S. forces in the Middle East following extensive retaliatory airstrikes by the U.S. in early February targeting Iranian-funded militias and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Prior to this lull, U.S. forces had faced frequent rocket and drone strikes, especially after heightened regional tensions due to Israeli military actions in Gaza starting mid-October last year. Currently, approximately 2,500 U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq, with another 900 in Syria, primarily for training local forces and conducting counterterrorism operations.
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