The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed joint operations group of Iraqi militias, released a series of statements and video footage claiming rocket and drone attacks on U.S. military personnel in Syria and Iraq, as well as on Israeli sites in the days that followed.
The group claimed responsibility for 18 attacks between December 28, 2023, and January 2, 2024, half of which were carried out since the beginning of the new year.
On December 28, 2023, the group issued a statement on its Telegram channel claiming a rocket attack against the Conoco gas and oil field in Syria’s Deir Al-Zour governorate.
The statement read: “In continuation of our resistance to the American occupation forces in Iraq and the region, and in response to the massacres of the Zionist entity [Israel] against our people in Gaza, the mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacked a base of the occupation in the Conoco field deep inside Syria with a barrage of rockets, hitting the target. The Islamic Resistance stresses that it will continue to crush the enemy’s strongholds.” [1]
On December 29, 2023, the group claimed a rocket attack against a U.S. base in Kharab Al-Jeer, in Syria’s Al-Hasakah Governorate, and attached a 42-second video of the rocket launch.
Also on December 29, 2023, the group claimed a rocket attack against a U.S. base in Al-Shaddadi, in Syria’s Al-Hasakah governorate, and a drone attack against a U.S. base in Harir, north of Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. A low-quality, 26-second video was attached, documenting the launch of the drone.[2]
On December 30, 2023, the group claimed a drone attack against the Harir base.[3] The next day, December 31, 2023, a statement was released claiming drone attacks against a U.S. base in the town of Rmelan, located in the countryside of Qamishli, in Syria’s Al-Hasakah Governorate.
In addition, on December 31, the group claimed it launched drones to attack a U.S. base near the Erbil International Airport, in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region. A 50-second video was attached to the December 31 claim, documenting the launch of the drone towards Erbil in daylight.[4]
Attacks Against Sites In Eilat, Golan Heights, With Undisclosed Weaponry
On December 31, 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed it had targeted a “military target in the occupied Golan [Heights]” with “appropriate weaponry.”[5]
On January 1, 2024, the militant group claimed an assault against the southern Israeli city of Eilat with “appropriate weaponry.”[6]
Seven Attacks In Syria Since New Year’s Day
On January 1, 2024, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed it had carried out an attack on the Al-Shaddadi base, using drones.[7] An additional statement, also dated January 1, declared that the “occupation base” in the Conoco gas and oil field was targeted by a barrage of rockets.[8]
On January 2, 2024, the group issued a statement claiming responsibility for a drone attack on the U.S. base in the Green Village, southeast of Deir Al-Zour, Syria.[9]
On January 2, 2024, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed joint operations group of Iraqi militias, released a statement claiming responsibility for a rocket attack targeting the U.S. base in Al-Shaddadi area, in Syria’s Al-Hasakah Governorate.[10]
On January 2, 2024, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed joint operations group of Iraqi militias, released a statement claiming responsibility for a drone attack targeting the U.S. base in Al-Malikiyah area, northeastern Al-Hasakah Governorate, Syria. The group released a short clip documenting the launch of drones.[11]
On January 2, 2024, the U.S. base in the town of Rmelan, located in the countryside of Qamishli, in Syria’s Al-Hasakah Governorate, was the target of drone attacks twice on the same day.[12]
In northern Iraq, the group released a statement on January 2 claiming responsibility for a drone attack the same day targeting the U.S. base near Erbil Airport, in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region.[13]
Since mid-October, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed more than a hundred assaults on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria, and on Israeli targets in Eilat and the Golan Heights, in response to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and the U.S.’s strengthening support of Israel.[14]
[1] Telegram, December 28, 2023.
[2] Telegram, December 29, 2023.
[3] Telegram, December 30, 2023.
[4] Telegram, December 31, 2023-January 2, 2024.
[5] Telegram, December 31, 2023.
[6] Telegram, January 1, 2024.
[7] Telegram, January 1, 2024.
[8] Telegram, January 1, 2024.
[9] Telegram, January 2, 2024.
[10] Telegram, January 2, 2024.
[11] Telegram, January 2, 2024.
[12] Telegram, January 2, 2024.
[13] Telegram, January 2, 2024.
[14] See MEMRI JTTM reports: Iran-Backed Islamic Resistance In Iraq Claims Attacks On U.S. Base In Northeastern Syria, Moshav In Golan, ‘Israeli Espionage’ Center In Iraq, December 28, 2023; Iran-Backed Islamic Resistance In Iraq Claims Missile, Two Drone Attacks On U.S. Bases In Eastern Syria, Northern Iraq, December 27, 2023; ‘Islamic Resistance In Iraq’ Claims Attacking Israeli City Of Eilat, ‘Vital Target In Mediterranean Sea’, December 24, 2023; Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias Attack Three U.S. Bases In Eastern Syria; ‘Al-Akhbar’ Daily: Possibility Of Ground Attack Against U.S. Forces, December 18, 2023; Iran-Backed ‘Islamic Resistance In Iraq’ Claims Drone Attack On U.S. Base In Western Iraq, December 15, 2023; Iran-Backed Islamic Resistance In Iraq Claims Drone Attack On U.S. Base In Western Iraq, Rocket Attacks On Two U.S. Bases In Eastern Syria, December 13, 2023; The Islamic Resistance In Iraq Claims Additional Attack Against U.S. Forces In Iraq In Possible Change In Operational Strategy Of Iran-Backed Shi’ite Militias, October 22, 2023.