US soldiers injured in drone attack on Syrian base
A few soldiers were slightly injured in a drone attack on one of the US bases in Syria. According to a Reuters source, the attack might have been carried out by groups supported by Iran.
The attack occurred on Friday at 4:00 GMT, targeting the base in Rumaylan located in northeastern Syria – one American official informed Reuters on Saturday.
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but similar strikes in the past were conducted by pro-Iranian militias, the source added.
This is the second serious attack on US forces in the region suspected to be carried out by groups supported by Tehran, Reuters emphasised. On Monday, the American base Ain al-Asad in Anbar province in western Iraq was subjected to a rocket attack. Five soldiers were injured.
The situation in the Middle East is increasingly tense. In an Israeli airstrike on Beirut last week, Lebanese Hezbollah's military leader Fuad Shukr was killed. A day later, Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an attack in Tehran. Iran accused Israel of this assassination, but Israel did not confirm its involvement. Both Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas have vowed revenge on Israel.
The US is pushing to de-escalate the tension in the region, fearing that a series of retaliatory strikes could lead to open war. At the same time, Washington has announced that it will assist Israel in defending against the expected attack from Iran and its allies.
Iran has declared that since the US supports Israel, it also bears responsibility for Haniyeh's death. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin announced that the US will not tolerate attacks on its soldiers stationed in the region.
About 900 American soldiers are stationed in Syria, and around 2,500 in Iraq. They are accompanied by contingents from other allied countries, including Polish soldiers stationed in Iraq. The main task of these missions is to prevent the resurgence of the terrorist organisation ISIS, which once ruled large parts of both countries.
