2023 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria

Coordinates: 34°26′42″N 40°55′51″E / 34.445007°N 40.930892°E / 34.445007; 40.930892
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2023 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria
Part of the spillover of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups in November 2023
Date17 October 2023[1] – present
(1 month, 1 week and 2 days)
Location
Iraq, Syria, Red Sea and Persian Gulf.
34°26′42″N 40°55′51″E / 34.445007°N 40.930892°E / 34.445007; 40.930892
Status

Ongoing

  • Iran-backed groups carry out airstrikes targeting US military bases in Iraq and Syria
  • US carries out airstrikes as a response
Belligerents
 Iran
 Syria[1]
Popular Mobilization Forces
 Houthi movement[2]
Kata'ib Hezbollah[3]		  United States[1]
Syrian opposition Al-Tanf garrison
Commanders and leaders
Iran Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
Iran Esmail Qaani
Syria Ali Mahmoud Abbas
Syria Hawash Mohammed
Falih Al-Fayyadh
Houthi movement Abdul-Malik al-Houthi		 United States Lloyd Austin
Syrian opposition Muhammad Farid al-Qassem
Units involved
National Defence Forces
Islamic Resistance in Iraq
Tashkil al-Waritheen
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps[1]		  United States Army
 United States Air Force
Syrian opposition Revolutionary Commando Army
Casualties and losses
25 killed[a] United States 1 contractor killed (non-combat)
United States 68 servicemen wounded[7][8]
United States 1 MQ-9 Reaper shot down[9]

On 18 October 2023, American military bases in northern Iraq and eastern Syria were struck by three drones. Pentagon officials stated that there were few casualties.[10][11][12][13] On 26 October, the United States Department of Defense said it had conducted attacks on two facilities in eastern Syria linked to IRGC-backed militias in retaliation for the strikes.[14] On 8 November, the US officially reported that Iranian-affiliated militias had carried out more than 40 successful drone and rocket strikes targeting US airbases in Iraq and Syria carried out within three weeks.[15] In addition, a US MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down in international airspace near Yemen by the Houthis.

Attacks

Al-Asad air base

On 18 October 2023, amid the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Iraqi militants launched a drone strike on al-Asad Airbase, a United States base in northern Iraq.[16][17] The airstrike was intercepted.[18] The next day, a false alarm in the airbase caused the death of a civilian contractor from cardiac arrest.[19] On 20 October, the US ordered all non-emergency staff to leave their embassy in Baghdad and consulate in Erbil.[20] On 20 November, eight US and coalition soldiers were injured from a ballistic missile attack, and there was minor infrastructural damage after the air base was attacked by a ballistic missile.[21]

Al-Tanf garrison

On 18 October 2023, a drone strike by an Iranian proxy on the al-Tanf garrison resulted in over 20 injuries.[22] On 1 November, a minor drone strike was reported at the al-Tanf garrison.[23]

Other strikes

On 24 October 2023, Iraqi militias claimed responsibility for multiple drone strikes on US bases in eastern Syria, notably al-Omar oil field in Deir ez-Zor Governorate and al-Shaddadi in the Al-Hasakah Governorate.[24] On 9 November, US forces were struck three separate times in 24 hours, including drone strikes in Al-Asad Airbase and Al-Harir Air Base, as well as an IED attack on a patrol near the Mosul Dam.[25] On November 21 a US AC-130-gunship struck a Kata'ib Hezbollah vehicle near Abu Gharib, Iraq in response to the Islamic Resistance In Iraq's November 20 attack on Ain al Assad Airbase.[26]

Yemen

Main article: Houthi involvement in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war

On 19 October 2023, the USS Carney shot down three missile fired towards Israel from Yemen in the Red Sea. The missiles were determined to have been launched by the Iran-backed Houthi movement.[27][28] It was subsequently reported that Carney actually encountered a larger and more sustained barrage than was previously known on that day, shooting down four cruise missiles and 15 drones over a period of nine hours.[29] Saudi Arabia also shot down a missile that is also fired towards Israel from Yemen.

On 8 November, a US MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down in international airspace near Yemen by the Houthis.[9]

Response

U.S.

U.S. retaliatory airstrike in north Abu Kamal, Syria, 12 November 2023. According to the U.S., the target was an IRGC training facility.

On 27 October, the United States military responded to the airstrikes by bombing weapons and ammunition storage facilities in Abu Kamal, Syria with F-16 fighter jets.[30][31] They further stated that a total of 16 military airstrikes were conducted by Iran-backed groups; 12 in Iraq and 4 in Syria.[32]

On 8 November, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that they had carried out attacks against the IRGC and IRGC-linked targets in Deir ez-Zor.[33] According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 9 workers in the facilities were killed in the strikes.[4]

On 12 November, the Department of Defense and Central command announced additional U.S. airstrikes targeting IRGC affiliated groups in response to continued airstrikes against U.S. forces in the region. The attacks targeted a safe house and training area used by militias in Mayadin and Abu Kamal[34] and resulted in the killing of 8 militiamen.[5]

On 21 November, a USAF AC-130 gunship retaliated against a group of Iran-backed militiamen in Iraq who had launched a missile attack on U.S. forces at Al-Asad airbase. According to U.S. assessments, several Iran-backed fighters were killed in the strike.[35] The following day, U.S. fighters jets conducted airstrikes on Iraqi Kata'ib Hezbollah facilities, killing over eight fighters.[36][6]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Syria:
    • 9 killed on 8 November[4]
    • 8 killed on 12 November[5]
    Iraq:
    • 8 killed on 22 November[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Baldore, Lolita C.; Copp, Tara (13 November 2023). "US conducts airstrikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria, retaliating for attacks on US troops". AP News. Washington, D.C.: Associated Press. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  2. ^ "US forces attacked by Iran proxies 27 times in two weeks, Pentagon says". New York Post. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  3. ^ "IRAN UPDATE, NOVEMBER 21, 2023".
  4. ^ a b "Deir Ezzor | Nine persons working with Iranians killed in American raids on military headquarters and positions". SOHR. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Death toll update | American airstrikes on Deir Ezzor leave eight members of Iranian militias dead". SOHR. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Toll of pro-Iran fighters killed in US strikes in Iraq rises to 8". The Times of Israel. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  7. ^ "US Forces Attacked 151 Times in Iraq, Syria During Biden Presidency". Voice of America. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  8. ^ Mahmoud, Sinan; Sennett, Ellie (21 November 2023). "US strikes again at militants after attack on Iraq's Al Asad Air Base". The National. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  9. ^ a b Seyler, Matt. "US Reaper drone shot down near Yemen by Iranian-backed Houthi militants, defense official says". ABC News. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Troops Hurt After 3 Drones Attack US Bases in Iraq". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Drone strikes target US military bases in Syria, Iraq as regional tensions from Israel-Hamas War escalate | Fox News". www.foxnews.com. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  12. ^ "US troops in three drone attacks on American bases in Iraq". Le Monde.fr. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  13. ^ "US Base in Syria Attacked as Destroyer Stops Missiles From Yemen". Bloomberg.com. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  14. ^ Schmitt, Eric (27 October 2023). "U.S. Strikes Iranian-Linked Targets in Syria". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  15. ^ "DefSec Lloyd Austin Confirms Airstrikes Against IRGC Target in Syria | Atlas News". 8 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  16. ^ Sewell, Abby; Copp, Tara; Abdul-Zahra, Qassim (18 October 2023). "Drone attack on base hosting US troops intercepted in Iraq, heightening fears of a broader conflict". Beirut, Lebanon: AP News. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Drone attack on US forces intercepted in Iraq – report". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 18 October 2023. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  18. ^ Stewart, Phil; Ismail, Amina; Rasheed, Ahmed; Stewart, Phil (18 October 2023). "US says it thwarted drone attacks on troops in Iraq". Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  19. ^ Ali, Idrees; Ali, Idrees (20 October 2023). "US troops attacked in Iraq, Syria and on alert for more strikes". Reuters. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  20. ^ AFP. "US orders its non-emergency staff to leave Baghdad embassy". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  21. ^ "Several U.S. service members injured in missile attack at Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, Pentagon says - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  22. ^ "Drone attacks on American bases injured two dozen U.S. military personnel". NBC. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  23. ^ "Drone attack on coalition base in Syria results in minor injury to service member from US partner force". CNN. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  24. ^ AP. "Iran-backed groups claim fresh attacks on US bases in Syria". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  25. ^ "Drone, explosive attacks target US forces across Iraq". Reuters. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  26. ^ "IRAN UPDATE, NOVEMBER 21, 2023".
  27. ^ "US Navy destroyer in Red Sea shoots down cruise missiles potentially headed toward Israel: Pentagon". ABC News. Retrieved 1 November 2023. The missiles were fired by Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen, the DOD said.
  28. ^ "US military shoots down missiles and drones as it faces growing threats in volatile Middle East". Associated Press. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  29. ^ Oren Liebermann (20 October 2023). "Incident involving US warship intercepting missiles near Yemen lasted 9 hours". CNN. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  30. ^ "US strikes Syria bases used by Iran-linked groups". BBC News. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  31. ^ Mitra-Thakur, Sofia (27 October 2023). "US strikes 2 facilities linked to Iranian-backed militias in Syria following series of attacks on US forces in Middle East | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  32. ^ "US strikes Syria bases used by Iran-linked groups". BBC News. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  33. ^ "DefSec Lloyd Austin Confirms Airstrikes Against IRGC Target in Syria". Atlas News. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  34. ^ "Attacks on Mayadin and Abu Kamal". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  35. ^ Seyler, Matt (21 November 2023). "US retaliates against Iran-backed militants after ballistic missile strike, officials say". ABC News. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  36. ^ Ali, Idrees; Stewart, Phil; Azhari, Timour (22 November 2023). "U.S. forces carry out series of strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq". Reuters. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
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