Forty-Five U.S. Troops Report Injury in Iraq, Syria Drone Attacks, More Than Twice the Number Disclosed by Pentagon

At least 45 Americans claim to have been injured in recent attacks in Iraq and Syria, more than twice as many as the Pentagon previously disclosed, according to a new report.

The Pentagon initially claimed that 21 service members suffered traumatic brain injuries as a result of two drone attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, but an additional 24 troops have since reported such injuries, NBC reported Monday, bringing the total number of injured troops to 45. That number may rise as more troops come forward.

NBC News has tallied at least 38 separate attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq since October 17, mainly by one-way drones, mortars or rockets.

The two attacks that caused the injuries to U.S. forces both occurred on October 18.

One of the attacks targeted the al-Tanf base in Syria. Two drones were involved — one of them was shot down, but the other struck the base, injuring U.S. troops. The other attack targeted the al-Asad air base in Iraq. Again, two drones were involved. Both were shot down, but one broke apart over the base. The debris destroyed a hangar and injured the troops inside.

An Iranian-backed militia launched a separate attack on October 25 that could have been catastrophic. A drone laden with explosives crashed into the upper floor of U.S. barracks at against the Erbil air base in Iraq, but the weapon failed to detonate. If the drone had exploded as intended, it likely would have killed U.S. troops.

“They are aiming to kill,” a U.S. defense official told the Wall Street Journal. “We have just been lucky.”

After the dud drone landed on the Erbil barracks, the U.S. said it launched strikes on two bases believed to be used by the militant Iranian groups in eastern Syria.

These attacks have occurred despite the recent fortification of U.S. air defenses in the region, which are intended to shield U.S. troops serving in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from enemy rockets and missiles.

Three lawmakers, all military veterans, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday asking for further information about how the Pentagon plans to protect U.S. troops deployed in the Middle East.

“The Department must proactively work to reduce the risk to service members both to protect our men and women in uniform and to preserve the capability and readiness of forward operating bases,” wrote Representatives Ruben Gallego, (D., Ariz.), Morgan Luttrell(R., Texas), and Bill Johnson (R., Ohio).