US troops in the ME will be under fire when Gaza invasion begins: WSJ

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Wall Street Journal
25 Oct 2023 20:29

The Pentagon is reportedly rushing to deploy around a dozen air defense systems in the region to shield U.S. troops from possible missile and rocket attacks.

US troops scrummaging around the destroyed US Marine Base in Beirut, October 23 1983 (AP)

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, citing Israeli and American officials informed of the matter, "Tel Aviv" has agreed to delay its ground invasion of Gaza in time for Washington to make the necessary arrangements to protect its military bases in the region from possible attacks following the invasion of Gaza.

The Pentagon is reportedly rushing to deploy around a dozen air defense systems in the region to shield U.S. troops, stationed in Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, from possible missile and rocket attacks.

According to the Wall Street Journal report, "Israel" will not initiate the ground invasion until after the US has successfully deployed the defense systems in the region, which would be done as soon as this week.

However, "threats to the U.S. troops are of paramount concern", several U.S. military officials told WSJ that American forces will be targeted by various resistance movements once "Israel" initiates the ground invasion of Gaza.

#Watch | The aftermath of the Israeli massacre after Israeli fighter jets and drones bombed whole residential areas in the #Gaza Strip. Dozens have been reported killed and injured, and most of them are still under the rubble.#GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/mXXjl70t5G
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 25, 2023

It is important to note that "Israel" has been warned by various groups coordinating together as part of the Axis of Resistance that in the event of a ground invasion into the Gaza Strip, the war will expand to entail multiple fronts, noting that all US bases in the region will also be prone to attacks.

The US Defense Department has allegedly brought forth, from Fort Bliss, Texas, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery for use against ballistic missiles to be stationed in Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, at least 11 MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile systems were transferred from both Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma to be stationed in Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

So far, 13 attacks have been recorded against US military bases in Iraq and Syria involving drones and missiles leading to several casualties and at least one kill according to US officials.

Yesterday, The US Central Command told NBC News that 24 US soldiers have been wounded as a result of the attacks targeting its occupation bases in Syria and Iraq over the past week.

According to a report by NBC News, the US servicemen were wounded on October 18th following the drone attack on the al-Tanf occupation military base in southeastern Syria, where reportedly 20 soldiers were wounded. Moreover, the attack on Ain al-Assad Airbase in western Iraq on the same night resulted in four more injuries as well as material damage.

The US Central Command also told the news outlet that the 24 service members who were considered wounded have since returned to active duty.