Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias Attack Three U.S. Bases In Eastern Syria; 'Al-Akhbar' Daily: Possibility Of Ground Attack Against U.S. Forces

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On December 16 and 17, 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed joint operations group of Iraqi militias, claimed responsibility for three attacks on American bases in eastern Syria. Yhis brought the number of attacks perpetrated by this group to 103, since it first appeared on October 17, 2023, and started to attack American bases in Iraq and in Syria in response to U.S. support for Israel in the war against Hamas. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq includes the Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades, the Al-Nujaba Movement, the Sayyid Al-Shuhada Brigades, and Ansar Allah Al-Awfiya – all of which are Iran-backed, Iraqi Shi'ite militia.[1]

Islamic Resistance In Iraq: We Continue Our Resistance To The American Forces

On December 16, 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the launch of drones at the Al-Malikiyah base in the northeast of the Al-Hasakah Governorate in Syria.[2] On December 17, the group claimed responsibility for the launch of drones at two American bases – one at the Al-Omar oilfield and one at the Conoco gas field.[3] The claims of responsibility for the three attacks stated that the attacks reflected "the continuation of our way to resist the forces of the American occupation in Iraq," i.e. they are undeterred by the attacks carried out by the U.S. against positions of the Iran-backed militias in Iraq on November 21 and 22, and on December 3, and are responding to "the massacre perpetrated by the Zionist entity against our people in Gaza."

The above is the claim of responsibility for the attack on the U.S. base in Al-Hasakah Governorate.

The above is the claim of responsibility for the attack on the U.S. bases at Al-Omar oilfield and the Conoco gas field.

Al-Akhbar Daily: Resistance Factions Can Operate From Territories Controlled By SDF, Increases Possibility Of Ground Operation Against U.S. Forces

On December 17, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that it had found rocket launchers near the city of Al-Shadadi in the rural area of Al-Hasakah. The Lebanese Al-Akhbar daily, which is affiliated with Hizbullah, reported that this proves that the Iraqi factions of the Islamic resistance can attack American bases in Syria from three places – the Syria-Iraq border; the areas under the control of the Syrian regime; and the areas controlled by the SDF, which collaborates with the U.S. Global Coalition to fight terrorism. The daily suggests that these factions managed to establish cells in these areas, which increases the possibility "to carry out a ground operation against the American forces."[4]