Attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, Jordan, and Syria (2023–present)

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Attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, Jordan, and Syria
Part of the spillover of the Israel–Hamas war and the Iran–Israel proxy conflict


Top: The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups in November 2023
Bottom: Map of Iran-backed strikes (red) and American counterstrikes (blue) in Iraq, Jordan, and Syria
Date17 October 2023[1] – present
(3 months, 3 weeks and 1 day)
Location
Iraq, Jordan, and Syria
Status

Ongoing

  • Iran-backed groups carry out airstrikes targeting US military bases in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan
  • US carries out airstrikes as a response
Belligerents

 Iran
 Syria[1]

Proxies
Popular Mobilization Forces
Islamic Resistance in Iraq
Hezbollah Syrian Hezbollah[2]
Liwa Fatemiyoun[3]

 United States

Syrian Democratic Forces
Commanders and leaders
Iran Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
Iran Esmail Qaani
Syria Ali Mahmoud Abbas
Falih Al-Fayyadh
Qais Khazali
Akram al-Kaabi
Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi †
Abu Baqir al-Saadi  †

United States Lloyd Austin
United States Charles Q. Brown Jr.

Mazloum Abdi
Units involved
 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps[1]
National Defence Forces
Kata'ib Hezbollah[4][5]
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq[6]
Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada[7]
Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba[7]
Ashab al Kahf[8]		  United States Army
 United States Air Force
Casualties and losses
103 killed[a]

United States Four killed, 130 wounded[b][c]
One MQ-9 Reaper drone shot down

Seven killed, 18 wounded
One Iraqi security forces serviceman wounded[22]

Starting on 17 October 2023, and in response to United States support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war, Iran-backed militias initiated a coordinated series of more than 170 attacks on U.S. military bases and assets in Syria, Iraq, and Jordan.[23][24][25] These attacks resulted in injuries to dozens of U.S. service members. In retaliation, the U.S. has launched multiple counterattacks, resulting in the death of over 30 militants including a senior commander of the Nujaba Movement, Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi.[14]

Attacks

Al-Asad air base

On 18 October 2023, amid the Israel–Hamas war, Iraqi militants launched a drone strike on al-Asad Airbase, a United States base in northern Iraq.[26][27] The airstrike was intercepted.[28] 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.[29] 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.[30]

On 20 January 2024, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for striking the base with dozens of missiles which injured several US military personnel and an Iraqi service member.[31][32]

Al-Tanf garrison

See also: Al-Tanf § Attacks

On 18 October 2023, a drone strike by an Iranian proxy on the al-Tanf garrison resulted in over 20 injuries.[33] On 1 November, a minor drone strike was reported at the al-Tanf garrison.[34]

Al-Harir air base

On 8 November 2023, an armed drone targeted al-Harir air base hosting U.S. forces in northern Iraq.[35] On 25 December 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the base which injured three US soldiers, one being critical.[36][37]

Other attacks

On 24 October 2023, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq 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.[38] 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.[39]

On 10 January 2024, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq claimed responsibility for an attack on Hemo base in north of Hasakah province. As a result of this attack, the U.S. withdrew from the base, evacuating 350 U.S. soldiers and relocating them to Tal Baidar base.[40] Tal Baidar base was previously targeted by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq in November 2023.[41]

On 18 January 2024, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone after it took off from Kuwait near Muqdadiyah, Diyala Governorate.[42][43]

Tower 22 outpost

Main article: Tower 22 drone attack

On 28 January 2024, a one-way drone attack took place at a US outpost in Jordan, resulting in the deaths of three US soldiers and injuries to 47 others.[18][21]

Al-Omar field

On 4 February 2024, a drone struck a training ground in Al-Omar field in Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, which houses US troops, according to the Syrian Democratic Forces. Though no casualties were reported among US forces, at least seven Kurdish fighters were killed and 18 injured. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack.[44][45] The SDF condemned the attack, and said it had "every right to respond".[46]

U.S. response

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.[47][48] They further stated that a total of 16 military airstrikes were conducted by Iran-backed groups; 12 in Iraq and four in Syria.[47]

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.[49] According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 9 workers in the facilities were killed in the strikes.[50]

On 12 November, the United States 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[51] and resulted in the killing of 8 militiamen.[52]

On 21 November, a USAF AC-130 gunship retaliated against a Kata'ib Hezbollah vehicle near Abu Gharib, in response to the Islamic Resistance In Iraq's 20 November missile attack on U.S. forces at Ain al Assad Airbase.[4] According to U.S. assessments, several Iran-backed fighters were killed in the strike.[53] The following day, U.S. fighters jets conducted airstrikes on Iraqi Kata'ib Hezbollah facilities, killing over eight fighters.[54][11]

On 4 December, a U.S. airstrike near Kirkuk killed five Iraqi militants as they attempted to fire explosive projectiles at U.S. forces. They were identified as members of an Iran-backed militia. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed that the five people killed were its members, and vowed retaliation against the U.S.[12]

On 26 December, the U.S. conducted an airstrike on a PMU base in Hillah which killed one soldier and injured 20 others, with at least 12 being members of the Ministry of Interior.[13]

On 4 January 2024, the United States carried out a drone strike on the headquarters of Harakat Al-Nujaba in Baghdad, with the specific target being Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi, a senior leader of Harakat al Nujaba held responsible for orchestrating attacks against US forces.[55] The strike resulted in the death of four individuals, including al-Saidi, and left six others wounded. According to Iraqi militia sources and police reports, the attack involved two rockets fired from a drone, which struck a vehicle within the headquarters.[56][14]

On 23 January 2024, the United States launched a series of airstrikes on three facilities used by Iran-backed militias in Iraq.[57][58] The United States defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, announced the strikes in a statement the same day.[59] The strikes targeted several militia groups with connections to Iran, including Kataib Hezbollah.[58][60] The Iraqi government later accused the United States of escalating existing regional tensions. Lloyd Austin defended the attacks.[61] Kataib Hezbollah announced the suspension of operations against the U.S. on 30 January.[62]

Kataib Hezbollah also distanced its activities from Iran claiming "our brothers in the axis – especially in the Islamic Republic – do not know how we work jihad".[62]

February 2024 airstrikes

Main article: February 2024 United States bombing of Iraq and Syria

On 2 February, the US launched retaliatory airstrikes targeting Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, in response to an attack that killed three US troops in Jordan. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 29 Iran-backed militiamen were killed in the strikes in Syria.[10] Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces announced that 16 of their fighters were killed in the airstrikes.[16]

On 7 February, a US drone strike on a vehicle in the Mashtal neighborhood of Baghdad reportedly killed a commander of Kata'ib Hezbollah. Another source reported that the attack targeted a vehicle used by the Popular Mobilization Forces and killed three people. US officials did not make a comment about the attack. According to Reuters, other pro-Iranian groups were also hit in the attack.[63][64]

Iraqi government response

On 5 January 2024, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani announced that the Iraqi government would begin a process towards the removal of the U.S.-led international military coalition following the American drone strike on Baghdad which assassinated Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi.[65] After the 23 January 2024 US attacks in Iraq, the US and Iraqi government agreed to begin talks on the future of the US military presence in Iraq, including discussions on the feasibility of a complete US military withdrawal from Iraq.[66]

On 30 January, Kata'ib Hezbollah announced the suspension of all its military operations against US forces in the region after the Tower 22 drone attack which killed 3 US soldiers and injured 47 others. They announced this decision was taken out of preventing "embarrassment" of the Iraqi government which has called for all resistance parties to de-escalate the situation.[67]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Syria:[9]
    • Nine killed on 8 November
    • Eight killed on 12 November
    • Four killed on 29 November
    • Four killed on 7 December
    • Two killed on 23 January
    • Three killed on 25 January
    • 29 killed on 2 February[10]
    Iraq:
    • Eight killed on 22 November[11]
    • Five killed on 3 December[12]
    • One killed on 26 December[13]
    • Four killed on 4 January[14]
    • Seven killed on 23 January[15]
    • 16 killed on 2 February[16]
    • 3 killed on 7 February[17]}
  2. ^ Three servicemembers[18] and one contractor who died from cardiac arrest during a false alarm.[19]
  3. ^ 83 wounded by 28 January,[20] 47 others wounded on 28 January[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c Baldor, 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. ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  3. ^ https://www.twz.com/news-features/iranian-backed-militias-munitions-storage-site-in-syria-totally-obliterated
  4. ^ a b "IRAN UPDATE, NOVEMBER 21, 2023". Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah suspends attacks on US forces -statement". Reuters. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Institute for the Study of War". Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  8. ^ "IRAN UPDATE, NOVEMBER 28, 2023". Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Since the Israeli aggression on Gaza.. 50 dead and wounded from groups affiliated with Iran as a result of 16 American air strikes on Deir ez-Zor" (in Arabic). Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  10. ^ a b "In an infinite toll... 29 Iranian militia members were killed in American strikes that targeted 28 sites in Deir ez-Zor and its countryside" (in Arabic). Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Toll of pro-Iran fighters killed in US strikes in Iraq rises to 8". The Times of Israel. 22 November 2023. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
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  67. ^ Azhari, Timour (31 January 2024). "Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah says it suspends attacks on US forces". reuters.com. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
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