Drone that crashed at Erbil Air Base failed to detonate: WSJ

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A drone laden with explosives believed to have been launched by an Iranian-backed armed man on Erbil Air Base on Oct. 25, failed to detonate, reports the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Thursday.

As a result of the failed detonation, no one was injured or killed. However, if it would have detonated, it likely would have injured or killed U.S. troops, defense officials told the WSJ.

Hours after the attack on the Erbil Air Base, the U.S. said it launched strikes on two bases in eastern Syria it believed were used by Iranian groups. 

Read More: U.S. bombs IRGC sites in eastern Syria, following attack on Erbil Airport

Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick S. Ryder told reporters on Thursday that there have been 28 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17.

Read More: Iran says proxies won't 'remain silent' on Israel-Hamas war

The increase in attacks on US troops is connected to the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Iran has accused the US of giving significant support to Israel.

On Thursday, the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq" group also claimed an attack on an Israeli facility near the Dead Sea.

U.S. Secretary Antony J. Blinken on Thursday told reporters that they so far have seen ‘discrete attacks’ on U.S. forces.

“We’ve responded as necessary – including on our forces, our forces who are in the region in Syria and Iraq to prevent the resurgence of ISIL (ISIS), which also should be in everyone’s interest,” he said. 

“And you saw the actions that we took in response to that.  But as I said, we’re determined to prevent escalation, to prevent the spread of this conflict, and we’re taking necessary steps to try to make sure that that happens.”