Sensemaker Daily
Tortoise understands the attacks are relatively sophisticated and more extensive than has been reported
US forces are facing a wave of attacks across the Middle East as Iranian forces and their proxies test defences in response to Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, officials said that at least two dozen US troops had been hurt in a wave of attacks on their bases in Iraq and Syria over the past week.
Tortoise understands that the attacks are more extensive than has been reported.
One Western intelligence source said: “The US is being very quiet about it for some reason, but from what we’re seeing, the attacks against them have gone through the roof around the region.”
The source added: “In north-east Syria, we’re hearing that the Americans have already had to evacuate around a dozen forward operating bases because they can’t protect them anymore.”
“Iran, through its proxies, is launching missiles to test defence systems. They were trying to understand layers of high-altitude defence systems they have in place.”
Tortoise understands the attacks are relatively sophisticated, with US forces coming under similar style drone and mortar attacks to those that the Russian forces have faced in Ukraine.
A Pentagon spokesman said that between the 17th and 18th of October, some 21 US personnel received minor injuries because of drone attacks at Al Assad Airbase, Iraq, and Al-Tanf Garrison, Syria
However, statements from an Iraqi “resistance” group linked to Iran, obtained by this publication, state that there was also a missile barrage against a US military contingent at Abu Hajar air base in northeastern Syria base.
Tortoise could not confirm whether such an attack took place. But the US is clearly anxious about the situation. On Friday, it announced it carried out two F-16 strikes on Iranian-backed militias targets on in Syria near the Iraqi border.
The statement by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes were ordered by the president as “narrowly tailored in self-defence” and emphasised they are separate from the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
It has been reported that the US has asked Israel to delay a ground invasion of Gaza for a few days partly to allow more time to put air defences and other military assets in place to protect US troops across Iraq, Syria and the Gulf.
Iran has well-armed and battle-hardened proxies across Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon, including Hezbollah. It uses this network to project its influence.
“Most of the rockets from Gaza are shit,” said the source. “But the missiles Iran and its proxies have in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran could seriously overwhelm Israel’s defences. That would instantaneously trigger an American and wider Israeli response… and then you’re looking at full-scale war.”
Last week, Saudi Arabia intercepted one of the cruise missiles fired towards Israel by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to The Wall Street Journal. The US shot down at least four other missiles from its USS Carney Missile cruiser. It is estimated they had a range of at least 2,000 kilometres, putting Israel well within its sights.
The US has called on allies including the UK to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which runs much of the country’s sprawling business and intelligence operations abroad, as a terrorist group.
The US Department of Defense declined to comment.
With additional reporting from Chloe Hadjimatheou.