US officials told Voice of America that bombing militia groups in Iraq and Syria has failed to prevent attacks on American soldiers. Over the past month, US troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked dozens of times, resulting in over 50 injuries to American forces. Washington has responded to the drone and rocket strikes by bombing the groups that the Department of Defense believes are responsible. 

According to the US government-funded Voice of America, the strikes on militias in Iraq and Syria are failing to achieve their goal. “US officials also admitted that, at least for now, it failed to slow the pace of attacks by Iranian-backed militias on US forces in the region,” the outlet reported. 

After Hamas conducted an attack in southern Israel on October 7, Tel Aviv launched a massive military campaign on Gaza. In response, militias in Iraq and Syria began conducting drone and rocket strikes on bases that house American soldiers in the Middle East. The groups target US soldiers due to Washington’s pivotal support for Tel Aviv’s military operation in Gaza. 

The US has conducted multiple rounds of airstrikes on the militias it claims are responsible for conducting the rocket and drone attacks. The Department of Defense says its operations are intended to defend American soldiers occupying Iraq and Syria and to deter future attacks. 

So far, the groups have targeted US troops 46 times over the past month. At least 50 soldiers have been injured, including 25 with a traumatic brain injury. A Pentagon Spokeswoman attempted to downplay the injuries. “Thankfully, none of our troops have been injured seriously, and our infrastructure at the bases that have been targeted, we have not experienced significant damage,” Sabrina Singh told reporters. 

The most recent attacks occurred on Thursday, three in Iraq and one in Syria, just one day after the US conducted its latest round of airstrikes.