Pro-Iranian militias have again attacked US targets in Syria and Iraq following the latest airstrikes by the U.S. military, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

US Department of Defence deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that since the US airstrike on a weapons depot in eastern Syria the day before, there had been four more attacks on US forces in the region: one in Iraq and three in Syria.

So far there have been 46 attacks on military bases with US soldiers in the two countries since mid-October – 24 attacks have taken place in Iraq and 22 in Syria.

Ms Singh said 56 people were slightly injured, and all of them have since returned to duty.

“None of our troops have been injured seriously,” Singh said.

“And our infrastructure at the bases that have been targeted, we have not experienced significant damages.

“These attacks have been for the majority unsuccessful,” she added.

The US military carried out another airstrike in eastern Syria on Wednesday in response to the recent attacks.

The target was a weapons depot that had been used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and their allies.

The US had already carried out airstrikes against two similar targets in eastern Syria at the end of October.

This exacerbates concerns that the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas could escalate into a major conflict.

The security situation in the entire region has been particularly tense since 7 October when Hamas militants went on a killing spree in southern Israel. Israel is responding with an overwhelming air and ground offensive in Gaza.

As a deterrent, the US has moved more weapons systems, warships and air squadrons to the Eastern Mediterranean, and is deploying several hundred troops to the Middle East to support US units there.

Gaza-ruling Hamas is part of a series of militant groups supported with weapons and money by Iran in the region.

Ms Singh also confirmed that Shiite Houthi rebels had shot down an unmanned U.S. military drone of the MQ-9 type off the coast of Yemen. The Houthi rebels are also supported by Iran.

When asked whether the Houthis would also have to expect a military response because of the downing, the spokeswoman said that she could not anticipate decisions by the US defence minister and president.

(dpa/NAN)