Official logo of the the Islamic Resistance in Iraq al-Aqsa Flood Support Operations Room.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of armed factions backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has targeted two bases hosting United States troops in response to the Israeli war on the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
In a statement released late on October 20, the Islamic Resistance said that it had targeted al-Harir Air Base in the northern Kurdistan Region with two suicide drones. On October 21 afternoon, the Shia coalition said in another statement that it had launched a suicide drone at Ayn al-Assad Air Base in the western province of Iraq.
The Islamic Resistance later released video footage showing the launch of a suicide drone that appears to be a copy of the Iranian Ababil-2 at Ayn al-Assad.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has not yet responded or released any statements addressing the attacks.
Earlier this week, the Islamic Resistance formed a special operation room to support Gaza and claimed responsibility for several drone and rocket attacks that targeted U.S. bases not only in Iraq, but also in neighboring Syria.
CENTCOM said that a number of troops were lightly wounded in an attack on Ayn al-Assad on October 18. Later, U.S. officials said that a civilian contractor died from a heart attack while running towards a shelter during a “false attack” in the air base. A number of troops were also wounded at al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria as a result of an attack on October 19.
The recent attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria are clearly meant to pressure Washington, who has shown unconditional political and military support for Israel since the October 7 Hamas-led surprise attack.
U.S. forces deployed in the two countries and other parts of the Middle East will likely face even more escalation once Israel launches its highly-touted ground attack on Gaza.
