WASHINGTON/DUBAI (Reuters): One more US service member suffered minor injuries on Friday during the latest wave of attacks against American forces in Syria and Iraq, two US officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The United States has blamed Iran and militia groups it supports for the more than 60 attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria since mid-October as regional tensions soar over the Israel-Hamas war, which began on Oct. 7.
At least 60 troops have suffered minor injuries, often traumatic brain injuries, since Oct. 17. All US personnel who were wounded have returned to duty, officials say.
On Friday alone, US troops in Iraq and Syria were attacked three times, two American officials and Iraqi Kurdistan officials said.
One of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a drone attack in Tal Baydar in Syria injured the service member, who quickly returned to duty.
Drones also attacked troops at two locations in Iraq that host US troops, Al-Harir air base and at Al-Asad base, the official said, but did not cause any damage or casualties.
Iraqi Kurdistan’s counterterrorism service, in a statement, confirmed the drone attack on Al-Harir.
Thirty-two of the attacks against US troops since Oct.7 have been in Syria, with the remainder in Iraq.
The Pentagon has so far responded by carrying out three sets of strikes against facilities used by Iran and the forces it backs, though the retaliatory strikes so far have been limited to Syria and have not taken place in Iraq.
