United States military forces combatted three drones that flew near U.S. and allied forces in Iraq in an operation that left multiple troops with “minor injuries,” U.S. Central Command said in a press release on Wednesday. The drones targeted the al-Harir air base and al-Asad base, Reuters reported, citing U.S. officials. The drone targeting al-Harir was intercepted, but exploded nonetheless, according to Reuters, injuring a small number of troops. Tashkil al-Waritheen,an Iranian-backed militia group, claimed responsibility for the attack on the air base. It marked the first such conflict in Iraq in over a year amid broader tensions in the region after Hamas’ attack on Israel.
