WASHINGTON — U.S. officials say Iran was behind the kamikaze drone strikes against U.S. forces in Syria last week.
Here are the details: The Associated Press reports that U.S. officials said on Monday, October 25 that they believe Iran was behind the drone attack on the al-Tanf military outpost in Syria where U.S. troops are based.
The drone attack happened on Wednesday, October 20, and U.S. officials say the drones were Iranian and Iran appears to have facilitated their use.
Officials said they believe the attacks involved as many as five kamikaze drones laden with explosive charges, and that they hit both the U.S. side of al-Tanf garrison and the side where Syrian opposition forces stay.
The proliferation of these crude kamikaze drones is part of Iran’s regional strategy.
The country supports proxies, such as the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, with weapons platforms, says David Schenker, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Often, drones are shipped in parts from Iran and assembled in Gaza, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
There were no reported injuries or deaths as a result of the attack.
U.S. and coalition troops are based at al-Tanf to train Syrian forces on patrols to counter Islamic State militants.
The base is located on a road that serves as a vital link for Iranian-backed forces from Tehran all the way to southern Lebanon and Israel.