U.S. Forces Come under Attack in Red Sea, Syria and Iraq

The Pentagon Press Secretary, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, has confirmed that U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East have faced a series of attacks this week, highlighting an increase in drone activity in Iraq and Syria.

The attacks, which included drone strikes and missile attacks, were reportedly carried out by militants operating in Syria, Iraq, and the Red Sea.

In a notable incident, the U.S. Navy's guided-missile destroyer, USS Carney, patrolling the Northern Red Sea, successfully intercepted and downed three land-attack cruise missiles and several drones that had been launched by Houthi forces in Yemen. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties among U.S. forces or civilians on the ground as a result of this operation.

While the exact targets of the missiles and drones launched from Yemen remain unclear, they were reportedly headed north along the Red Sea, potentially posing a threat to targets in Israel. Several other drone attacks have also targeted U.S. facilities in Iraq and Syria, resulting in a range of responses from U.S. and Coalition Forces.

On October 18th, the At-Tanf garrison in Syria was targeted by two drones. U.S. and Coalition Forces successfully engaged one drone, destroying it, while the second drone impacted the base, resulting in minor injuries to Coalition Forces.

That same morning in Iraq, early warning systems detected a possible threat approaching Al Assad Air Base, prompting personnel to take shelter as a protective measure. Though no attack transpired, a tragic incident occurred when a U.S. civilian contractor suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and passed away shortly thereafter.

On October 17th, U.S. Military Forces successfully defended against three drones near U.S. and Coalition Forces in Iraq. At Al Assad Air Base in western Iraq, U.S. Forces engaged two drones, destroying one and damaging the second, which resulted in minor injuries to Coalition Forces. In northern Iraq, U.S. Forces engaged and destroyed a drone near Bashur Air Base, with no reported injuries or damage.

Regarding the use of defensive systems to counter drones in Syria and Iraq, Gen. Ryder confirmed that fighter jets were not involved. He stressed the importance of protecting U.S. forces and preventing a broader regional conflict, particularly concerning the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas.