US and allied forces in Syria came under missile fire on Monday, a US defence official said.
The day before, three Washington troops were killed and more than 30 were wounded in a drone attack in Jordan.
US troops in Iraq and Syria have faced a surge in attacks since mid-October, many initiated by an alliance of Iran-backed militant groups opposed to US support for Israel in the Gaza conflict. The US defence official said on condition of anonymity, referring to an installation in northeastern Syria:
“Multiple rockets were launched against US and coalition forces at Patrol Base Shaddadi, Syria. No injuries reported and no damage to infrastructure.”
Dozens of US troops have been wounded in previous attacks, but not a single person has been killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas began until Sunday, when a drone attack killed three people and wounded more than 30. The White House on Jan 29 vowed a “very consequential response” to the deadly attack in Jordan, which has raised fears of an escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The US has deployed about 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in neighbouring Iraq as part of an international coalition against the Islamic State group, a jihadist organisation that once controlled much of both countries.
Since mid-October, US and coalition forces have been attacked at least 165 times – 66 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and one in Jordan – “using drones, missiles, mortars and short-range ballistic missiles,” a US spokesman said.
