Nineteen American troops in Iraq and Syria have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries following rocket and drone attacks by Iran-backed militants, according to the Pentagon. Fifteen were stationed at Al Tanf garrison in Syria, and four were at Al Asad air base in Iraq. Two other service members sustained minor injuries. The U.S. has recently seen an increase in such attacks, raising concerns for the safety of its service members stationed in the Middle East.
Key Points:
- Nineteen U.S. service members in Iraq and Syria were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries after attacks by Iran-backed militants.
- U.S. positions in Iraq and Syria have experienced numerous attacks recently; since October 17, there have been 12 attacks in Syria and four in Iraq using drones and rockets.
- The threat to U.S. troops in the Middle East is anticipated to increase, especially as Israel prepares for a ground invasion of Gaza and Iranian proxies threaten attacks in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
- The Defense Department has been bolstering defenses in the region by deploying additional ships, aircraft, and defense systems.
- This isn’t the first instance of U.S. troops sustaining brain injuries from Iranian proxies; in a previous incident, 109 troops were diagnosed with brain injuries after initially being reported as only having “headaches” by the Trump administration.
