US forces have been targeted in at least 13 drone or rocket attacks in the past week in Iraq and Syria, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

“Between October 17th and 24th, US forces and those of the international (a.k.a. counter-jihadist) coalition were attacked at least ten times in Iraq and three more times in Syria,” Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat told reporters. Ryder, clarifying that this account is still provisional.

These attacks were carried out with remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets, the Defense Ministry spokesman added.

Armed groups close to Iran had threatened to attack US bases because of US support for Israel, which declared war on Hamas after the Palestinian Islamist movement’s unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on October 7.

More than 1,400 people were killed on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to Israeli authorities. Since then, at least 5,791 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, have been killed in the Israeli army’s relentless shelling of the Gaza Strip, according to the latest casualty count from the Hamas health ministry.

Without naming those responsible for the attacks on US troops, Wing Commander Ryder insisted they were orchestrated by organizations “backed by the Revolutionary Guards” and “the Iranian regime”.

An organization calling itself the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” claimed responsibility for some of the attacks through channels on the Telegram platform linked to Shiite factions loyal to Iran, Israel’s sworn enemy.

According to NBC News, which cited CENTCOM, some 24 US service members were injured in the attacks in Iraq and Syria. The injuries were mostly minor, according to the US television network, which is usually briefed on US military affairs.

“What we see is the prospect of a major escalation against US forces (…) across the region in the near term by Iranian proxy forces and ultimately by Iran,” said Wing Commander Ryder.

Washington has about 900 troops deployed in Syria and nearly 2,500 more in Iraq as part of operations against the Islamic State group.

The US announced on Sunday that it was beefing up its forces in the region and warned Iran and armed groups close to Tehran against any attempt to spread the war in the Middle East.