Iraqi Militia Claims Drone Attack on US Base in Syria; US Denies Reports
An Iraqi militia group affiliated with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed on Monday that it launched missile and drone attacks on the US-controlled al-Tanf military base in Syria near the borders with Iraq and Jordan. The group, called “the Revolutionaries” (al-Thawrayoun), announced via its Telegram channel that it targeted the base on Sunday night, stating that its attacks would continue until US forces leave Iraqi territory.
The US military has not confirmed the attack. A US military official told Al Jazeera that the Pentagon has no intelligence or operational reports supporting the allegations of an attack on US forces at al-Tanf.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported that the US-led coalition forces shot down a drone near the border triangle of Iraq, Syria, and Jordan, close to the al-Tanf base.
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The al-Tanf base has been a strategic outpost for US forces in Syria, aimed at combating the Islamic State group and countering Iranian influence in the region. Recent reports suggest that tensions are escalating between US forces and Iranian-backed militias operating in Syria and Iraq.
Earlier on Sunday, explosions were reported at the US-occupied al-Omar oil field base in Syria’s Deir ez-Zur province. The US Central Command has not yet issued a statement regarding these incidents.
The Revolutionaries group, which emerged on Telegram with a small following, has claimed responsibility for several attacks on US bases in Syria and Iraq. Analysts suggest that there are divisions within the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of armed factions that the United States considers to be proxies for Iran. Some factions, such as Kataib Hezbollah, have recently condemned Israel’s strikes on Iranian targets, reportedly conducted through Iraqi airspace, and have issued warnings to the US.
Kataib Hezbollah stated that “aggression against Iran represents a serious violation that should not go unanswered” and that America “must pay for its recklessness.” The group also warned that if Israel is not made to “pay a heavy price for its aggression,” it may escalate its actions against Iran and potentially Iraq.
Analysts Michael Knights and Crispin Smith of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy noted that recent attacks on US bases may reflect divisions within the resistance factions. Some elements may be frustrated by their inability to inflict significant damage on Israel and are seeking to escalate attacks on US forces.
In February, the US conducted airstrikes targeting assets used by Iran-backed militias in Syria and Iraq, following a drone attack that killed three US soldiers and injured more than 40 at Tower 22, a military outpost near the Syria-Iraq-Jordan border. The US strikes were intended to deter future attacks on American forces in the region.
