The US Department of Defense confirmed on Thursday that 19 US service personnel suffered what has been described as “traumatic brain injuries" during recent attacks against troops stationed at bases in Syria and Iraq.
No details were provided on the severity of the injuries.
The Pentagon detailed that 15 service members at the Al Tanf garrison in Syria and four troops at the Al Asad air base in Iraq suffered injuries from recent attacks, believed to be in response to the Palestine-Israel conflict.
The confirmation comes after the Defense Department earlier detailed that 21 service members in total had suffered minor injuries on October 17 and 18. More attacks have occurred in the interim but did not result in any reported injuries.
The escalation in tensions between Palestine and Israel were in response to Hamas' October 7 surprise attack against Israel that has killed around 1,400 Israelis, according to Israeli figures. The death toll in Palestine has since risen to 7,028, per the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Retaliatory strikes by Israel have been condemned by nearby Arab and African countries, including those where US forces have been attacked. Some countries in the region, including NATO member Turkiye, Syria and Iran have called the attacks an act of “genocide,” while others have condemned Israel’s actions as crimes against humanity and collective punishment. Meanwhile, the Arab League and African Union have warned the conflict may turn into a genocide.