Drones shot down in attack on US troops in Syria: Pentagon

Two drones were shot down Monday during an attempted attack on a base housing US forces in Syria, the Pentagon said, after a militant group claimed to have targeted American troops.

Armed factions close to Iran have threatened to attack US interests over Washington's support for Israel since Hamas' surprise attack on October 7.

Israel's retaliatory bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 5,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry.

"There was an attempted drone attack at Al-Tanf in Syria. Two one-way attack drones taken down; no injuries to US forces," Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder told journalists.

The drones were downed using "defensive systems," he said, without providing further details.

Analysis: The Houthi leadership has openly threatened to act against Israel in light of its ongoing assault on Gaza, but the likelihood of more strikes will hinge on regional developments

Will Yemen's Houthis try to strike Israel?

✍️ @jfentonharveyhttps://t.co/BYXOvvJ6cx

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) October 23, 2023

An American defense official had previously said on condition of anonymity that an attack in Syria had targeted forces from the United States and the international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group.

Neither Ryder nor the official provided details on the organisation that carried out the attack, but a group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said earlier in the day that it had launched drones against American forces at Al-Tanf and Al-Malikiyah in Syria.

The same group also claimed to have targeted US troops in Iraq on Saturday - an attack the United States said it could not confirm - while American forces shot down two drones in the country last week.

The United States has some 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of efforts to combat IS, which once held significant territory in both countries but was pushed back by local forces supported by international air strikes.