Washington, D.C., January 19, 2024
The Pentagon has disclosed that there have been "nearly 140" recent Iran-backed attacks on American troops stationed in Iraq and Syria. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh provided the information during a press briefing, revealing that the attacks began in mid-October, following an assault by the Iran-backed terrorist group Hamas on southern Israel.
As of now, there have been a total of 57 attacks in Iraq and 83 attacks in Syria. The spate of attacks persisted despite U.S. responses to counter these forces. Between October 17 and December 15, nearly 100 attacks occurred, maintaining an average of 30 per month. The latest tally indicates a continuation of these attacks into January.
The Pentagon asserts that these attacks are unrelated to the Israel-Hamas conflict and should not be considered an extension of that conflict, despite their occurrence in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. has increased military assets in the region to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from spreading to Lebanon, claiming success in these efforts. However, simultaneous with these attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, Iran-backed Houthi forces have initiated missile and drone attacks on U.S. military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Efforts to counter these attacks include U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, initiated last week. However, attacks persist through this week. At least 66 U.S. troops have been injured in the attacks in Iraq and Syria, including one critically. Last week, two Navy SEALs went missing during an operation targeting a ship suspected of carrying weapons from Iran to Yemen.
When questioned about the message to Iran, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh emphasized that the U.S. has consistently conveyed its stance. The message underscores that Iran funds, supports, equips, and trains various groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. The Pentagon is clear that it does not seek a regional conflict and wants to prevent the situation in Gaza from escalating into a larger-scale war. Repeated calls have been made to Iran to cease these activities, a stance that the Pentagon intends to maintain.
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