In a recent announcement on Thursday, the United States Department of Defense revealed that approximately 140 attacks have targeted US bases in Iraq and Syria since mid-October. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh reported that of these attacks, 57 were directed at US forces in Iraq, while 83 occurred in Syria. The statement did not specify the number of US personnel injured in these incidents.

The attacks primarily took the form of rocket and drone strikes and were attributed to pro-Iran militias responding to Washington's support for Israel during its conflict with Palestinian Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a network of shadow Iraqi militia groups backed by Iran and affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claimed responsibility for these attacks. Most recently, the group claimed responsibility for a drone strike on a US-led coalition against Islamic State (ISIS) base near Erbil International Airport. The drone was successfully intercepted and destroyed by the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD).

Targets included a military base near Erbil International Airport, Harir airbase in the north-east, and the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq’s western Anbar province. US troops have responded to these attacks, prompting criticism from the Iraqi government and calls from Iraqi Shiite politicians to expel coalition forces from the country.

In early January, an American drone strike targeted the Popular Mobilization Forces’ (PMF) Harakat al-Nujaba in Baghdad, resulting in two casualties, including former al-Nujaba commander Mushtaq Talib al-Saeedi, known as Abu Taqwa. This incident intensified calls to expel the international coalition from Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani stated that his government is working to establish a committee for the expulsion of the international coalition from the country. Currently, around 2,500 American troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria lead an international coalition through Operation Inherent Resolve, supporting Kurdish, Iraqi, and local Syrian forces in the fight against ISIS. The terrorist organization was declared territorially defeated in 2017 and 2019 in Iraq and Syria, respectively. The escalating attacks underscore growing tensions in the region, raising concerns about the stability of US-led coalition operations.