US military destroys two drones near US forces in southwest Syria

"We will take necessary and proportionate action to defend U.S. and Coalition forces."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2023/10/24 00:36

U.S. soldiers patrol the countryside of Rumaylan (Rmeilan) in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province on June 7, 2023. (Photo: AFP)

Syria CENTCOM northeast Syria Tanf SDF US Coalition

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Monday confirmed that the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria.

SYRIA – On the morning of Oct. 23, 2023, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets. There are no casualties or damage.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 23, 2023

This comes amidst reports of attacks on the U.S.-held 55-kilometer deconfliction zone around al-Tanf.

The U.S. military said they were destroyed before they reached their intended targets and caused no casualties or damage.

"In this moment of heightened alert, we are vigilantly monitoring the situation in the region and will take necessary and proportionate action to defend U.S. and Coalition forces," U.S. CENTCOM posted on the social media platform X, formerely known as twitter.

The Pentagon recently said it was upping readiness in the region in response to "recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces."

The frequency of attacks on US forces has risen in recent times, particularly amidst the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

The attacks began ten days after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacked Israel.

The attacks on U.S. forces were conducted in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, as well as in Syria and from Yemen.

On Monday evening, the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq group claimed responsibility for drone attacks targeting US bases in the Omar oil field in Deir ez-Zour and Shaddadi.

However, neither the US military nor the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) have confirmed these attacks. Earlier on Monday, the same group also claimed responsibility for an attack on a base in Syria's Derik, near the border with Turkey, but this attack remains unconfirmed.