By Marlyn Montilla
25 Oct 2023, 09:27 AM EDT
The United States Department of Defense confirmed that its military forces and the coalition received at least 10 attacks on their bases in Iraq and three in Syria by armed groups supported by Iran in the last week, since October 17.
Brigadier General Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, stated that the attacks were carried out with drones or rockets in a press conference in which he did not specify details about the attacks or the defense against them for security reasons.
Ryder highlighted that the United States has “important capabilities” and, therefore, the possibility and ability to respond and protect its troops and will make use of the aforementioned capabilities when required.
“No one wants a bigger conflict,” said the secretary when asked about the possibility of the armed conflict spreading due to these attacks, however, he reiterated that the United States “will not hesitate” to react if its forces are attacked.
Likewise, he spoke about the direct involvement of Iran, always speaking of those responsible as groups “close” to Tehran or even supported by its Islamic Revolutionary Guard.
The general also confirmed that air defense batteries and Patriot battalions are on the way to the area to increase the protection of the troops and their allies.
Ryder assured that there is a lot of “misinformation” about the attacks and that is why the United States Central Command (Centcom) is collecting all the data to be able to offer the public more detailed information about what is happening.
In any case, the secretary wanted to separate the two situations that are occurring at this moment, on the one hand, the war between Israel and Hamas and on the other, the need to avoid an escalation as much as possible and to send messages to those who “intend” make it become a “general conflict.”
He confirmed that the expansion of defense capabilities and potential seeks to expose that message to those who insist on trying to “destabilize.”
“We will take appropriate measures. “We are not going to hesitate to defend our people,” he insisted.
With information from EFE
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