{"id":33876,"date":"2023-10-19T21:45:57","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T21:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2023\/10\/19\/us-troops-overseas-thwart-multiple-drone-attacks-in-just-days\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:55:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:55:15","slug":"us-troops-overseas-thwart-multiple-drone-attacks-in-just-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2023\/10\/19\/us-troops-overseas-thwart-multiple-drone-attacks-in-just-days\/","title":{"rendered":"US troops overseas thwart multiple drone attacks in just days"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hours after news outlets first reported Thursday on two separate drone strikes<\/a> on bases housing U.S. troops in Syria, the Defense Department confirmed that the destroyer Carney shot down multiple missiles fired by Houthi insurgents<\/a> in the Red Sea the same day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ship intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters during a briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe cannot say for certain what these missiles were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen, along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel,\u201d he said. \u201cThis attack may be ongoing, so if we have more information to share, we will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the increase in attacks following the strong messaging by the U.S. in support of Israel <\/a>as it goes to war with Hamas, Ryder said the Pentagon is not considering the events related.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAgain, it\u2019s important to separate these attacks from the current situation,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to continue to assess attribution on these … but we\u2019re also not going to overreact. We\u2019re going to continue to do what we need to do and ensure regional stability, but at the same time supporting Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. forces downed several more drones earlier this week, starting with three drones threatening forces in Iraq on Tuesday. One drone was destroyed and another damaged near al-Asad airbase in an attack resulting in minor injuries to coalition forces, Ryder said, and another unmanned device was downed at Bashur air base with no injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are certainly taking appropriate force protection measures to ensure the safety of our troops,\u201d Ryder said. \u201cAgain, I\u2019m not going to get into specifics. Clearly, this is an uptick in terms of the types of drone activity we\u2019ve seen in Iraq, in Syria.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday, troops destroyed one drone at al-Tanf garrison in Syria, while another detonated, causing minor injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that same morning, in Iraq, personnel at al-Asad sheltered after early warning systems detected another imminent strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThough no attack occurred, a U.S. civilian contractor suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and passed away shortly after,\u201d Ryder said, offering condolences.<\/p>\n\n\n\t