While the United States had just significantly strengthened its military position in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East since October 17, following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas in southern Israel ten days earlier, US military influence in Iraq and Syria was being targeted taken more than sixty times by missiles and drones fired by Iran-affiliated armed groups. This led to three air strikes by the US Air Force on positions it occupied in Syrian territory.
But the attack targeted American troops based at the Ain al-Assad air base [Irak], on November 21, undoubtedly marked a turning point, as short-range ballistic missiles were used for the first time. To be honest, it was to be expected…
In fact, the Portal agency reported in 2018 that the Iraqi Shiite militia “Kataëb Hezbollah,” also a member of the Popular Mobilization Units, was [Hachd al-Chaabi]The organization, now funded by the Iraqi government, had received “several dozen ballistic missiles” from Iran, including Zalzals, Fateh-110 and Zolfaghars.
However, unlike previous attacks, American forces responded immediately to these missile attacks, using an AC-130J “Ghostrider,” a gunship-type aircraft notably armed with a 105 mm howitzer and a 30 mm cannon , in use was the time of events.
According to Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh, she stated that the AC-130J “Ghostrider” flew over al-Asad [pour une raison qu’elle n’a pas donnée] and that he “had his eyes on the Kataeb Hezbollah attack” as it unfolded. It also confirmed the launch of a “short-range” ballistic missile. [soit inférieure à 300 km] against American troops and that “several” Shiite militiamen were killed in the response.
“We were able to identify the origin of these attacks because an AC-130 was already present in the area and was therefore able to respond. He was able to act because he saw the militiamen. He was able to keep an eye on the movements,” said Ms Singh, who stressed that it was a “self-defense strike”.
Kataeb Hezbollah said it lost one of its fighters during the “battle” against American forces, without specifying the circumstances. He just said he was killed at Abu Ghraib.
In any case, the American response was not limited to the use of an AC-130J Ghostrider. On November 22, US Centcom, responsible for operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, announced that two “discreet and precise attacks” had been carried out against Shiite militia positions in Iraq just hours earlier. [probablement du Kataëb Hezbollah]. And this, he assured, was a “direct response to attacks by Iran and the groups it supports against US and coalition forces, including the November 21 attack that involved the use of short-range ballistic missiles.”
On the morning of November 22, US Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces in Iraq conducted discrete precision strikes against two installations in Iraq. The attacks were in direct response to attacks by Iran and Iranian-backed groups on U.S. and coalition troops, including the… pic.twitter.com/HySbSFNlp5
– US Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 22, 2023
In addition, American forces have been attacked 32 times in Iraq and 34 times in Syria since October 17, according to Ms. Singh. A total of 62 soldiers were injured; this number does not take into account the number from the last attack on the al-Asad base.
Photo: Archive