Eight U.S. soldiers in Syria were injured last week in a drone attack by Iranian-backed militants, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the Pentagon for the first time blamed Iranian proxies for Friday’s attack.
“We believe the attack was carried out by an Iranian-backed militia, but we are still working out the details,” Ryder said in response to a question from VOA at a briefing at the Pentagon.
Ryder told reporters the soldiers were treated for smoke inhalation and traumatic brain injury. Three of the injured soldiers have returned to duty, he added.
The US military had previously said several US and coalition personnel were injured in a drone strike late Friday on the Rumalyn landing zone in eastern Syria, but stressed that “none of the injuries were life-threatening”.
The United States has about 900 troops stationed in Syria and 2,500 in neighboring Iraq to advise and assist the armed forces there in their work to prevent a resurgence of the terrorist group “Islamic State” in the region.
The drone strike in Syria was the second time this month that U.S. troops were injured in attacks in the Middle East. Five Americans were injured in a rocket attack on al-Asad air base in Iraq on Aug. 5. Three of them were taken to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for further treatment, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said.
Since Israel began its military operation in the Gaza Strip in response to deadly Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, Iran-backed militias have carried out dozens of attacks on US forces in the region.
