Rocket Targets US Base in Syria

The attack on Wednesday was the first on US forces in Syria or Iraq since the Gaza truce took effect

A rocket strike on a US base in Syria on Wednesday was the first attack against US troops in Iraq or Syria since the truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took effect on November 24.

A Pentagon official told The National that a single rocket targeted Mission Support Site Euphrates, a US base in eastern Syria, and caused no injuries or damage to infrastructure.

The attack marks the 74th time US troops have been targeted in Syria and Iraq since October 17. Some of the Iraqi Shia militias responsible for the attacks have said they were following the Gaza truce by not attacking US forces, but there are many different factions in the operations.

Also on Wednesday, US Central Command said a US warship shot down a drone in the southern Red Sea that was fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The Houthis, known formally as Ansar Allah, have been firing missiles and drones toward Israel in response to the onslaught in Gaza.

The situation in the region is expected to escalate once Israel resumes its military operations in Gaza, which Israel’s defense minister vowed would be bigger than before. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi Shia militia that said it was following the Gaza truce, signaled it would resume attacks on US troops once the ceasefire ends.

The US has launched several rounds of airstrikes in eastern Syria and Iraq against the Shia militia, which have killed at least 15 people, according to US officials. Due to the recent escalations, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is planning to force a vote on a bill he introduced to withdraw all US troops from Syria.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.