Several US and coalition personnel were wounded in a drone attack on Friday at the Rumalyn Landing Zone in northeastern Syria, a US official revealed on Saturday. This incident marks the latest in a series of attacks on US forces in the Middle East, raising concerns about escalating tensions in the region.
Initially, the US military reported no casualties from the attack. However, a more thorough assessment uncovered that some personnel had sustained minor injuries, including smoke inhalation. Several troops were subsequently moved to a different location for further evaluation, with some being examined for potential traumatic brain injuries.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, similar incidents in the past have been attributed to Iranian-backed militia groups. This latest assault comes amid a backdrop of heightened regional tensions, following the recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in Tehran on July 31.
The attack in Syria follows a rocket attack on Monday at the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq, which wounded seven US personnel. These incidents are part of a broader pattern of aggression against US forces in the region, with the Pentagon reporting over 180 attacks by Iranian-backed militias on US troops in Iraq, Jordan, and Israel since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.
In response to the growing threats, the Pentagon announced on Friday a series of measures to bolster the US military posture in the Middle East, aimed at defending Israel against potential retaliatory strikes by Iran and its proxies.
The United States currently maintains a presence of 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq, with an additional 4,000 service members stationed throughout Jordan. These forces are tasked with advising and assisting local forces in preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State.
As the region braces for a possible new wave of attacks, the recent incidents underscore the complex and volatile nature of the security situation in the Middle East, with US forces caught in the crossfire of regional rivalries and conflicts.
