Drone Attacks on Bases in Iraq, Syria Injure 24 US Soldiers

A convoy of US vehicles after its withdrawal from northern Syria, at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing, October 2019 (File/Reuters)
A convoy of US vehicles after its withdrawal from northern Syria, at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing, October 2019 (File/Reuters)
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Drone Attacks on Bases in Iraq, Syria Injure 24 US Soldiers

A convoy of US vehicles after its withdrawal from northern Syria, at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing, October 2019 (File/Reuters)
A convoy of US vehicles after its withdrawal from northern Syria, at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing, October 2019 (File/Reuters)

A series of drone attacks on American bases in Iraq and Syria last week injured 24 military personnel, NBC news reported, citing US Central Command.

The Pentagon confirmed the attacks last week.

CENTCOM said the US personnel sustained minor injuries, noting that the attacks took place on October 18 when at least two one-way attack drones targeted al-Tanf military base in southern Syria.

One of the drones was shot down. All of the wounded personnel were returned to duty, CENTCOM added.

On that same day, another four US soldiers suffered minor injuries during two separate drone attacks against US and coalition forces stationed at al-Asad base in western Iraq.



Heavy Israeli Strikes Shake Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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Heavy Israeli Strikes Shake Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Strong explosions in Beirut's southern suburbs began near midnight and continued into Sunday after Israel's military urged residents to evacuate areas in Dahiyeh.

Photos and video showed the blasts illuminating the southern suburbs, and sparking flashes of red and white visible from several kilometers away. They followed a day of sporadic strikes and the nearly continuous buzz of reconnaissance drones.

Israel's military confirmed it was striking targets near Beirut and said about 30 projectiles had crossed

from Lebanon into Israeli territory, with some intercepted.

The strikes reportedly targeted a building near a road leading to Rafik Hariri International Airport, and another building formerly used by the Hezbollah-run broadcaster Al-Manar. Social media reports claimed that one of the strikes hit an oxygen tank storage facility, but this was later denied by the owner of the company Khaled Kaddouha.

Shortly thereafter, Hezbollah claimed in a statement that it successfully targeted a group of Israeli soldiers near the Manara settlement in northern Israel “with a large rocket salvo, hitting them accurately.”

Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said on Saturday that Israel had killed 440 Hezbollah fighters in its ground operations in southern Lebanon and destroyed 2,000 Hezbollah targets. Hezbollah has not released death tolls.

Israel says it stepped up its assault on Hezbollah to enable the safe return of tens of thousands of citizens to homes in northern Israel, bombarded by the group since last Oct. 8.

Israeli authorities said on Saturday that nine Israeli soldiers had been killed in southern Lebanon so far.