U.S. forces based in Iraq thwarted the launch of two drones aimed at an air base housing American troops on Wednesday, as confirmed by two U.S. officials.
These drones were directed toward Iraq’s al Asad air base in the early hours of Wednesday morning, local time, with no reported injuries.
Reuters was the first to reveal the foiled attack, with information from two U.S. officials indicating that the interception took place before the two drones could carry out their strikes.
The officials, who wished to remain anonymous, refrained from specifying the entity they suspected of sending the unguided drones toward the base where American troops are stationed.
In the hours leading up to the drone incident, a strike hit a hospital in the Gaza Strip. Hamas claims at least 500 Palestinians, including numerous young children, were killed in the explosion.
Israel asserted that the explosion at Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital resulted from an unsuccessful rocket launch by Palestinian militants, whereas Palestinian authorities contended that it was an Israeli airstrike.
The hospital bombing reverberated across the region, inciting protests against Israel in the West Bank, Beirut, Iraq and Amman.
Heightened security measures are in place within the U.S. as tensions escalate.
President Biden visited Israel on Wednesday, expressing support for the steadfast U.S. ally and striving to avert the conflict from expanding into neighboring nations and escalating further.
On-the-ground Fox News reporter reality-checks Joe Biden's disaster visit to Israel on LIVE TV
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According to Gaza’s health ministry, Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 2,778 individuals in Gaza, with nearly two-thirds of the casualties being children.
Health officials believe that another 1,200 individuals, whether alive or deceased, are potentially trapped beneath the debris of buildings that have been demolished in the area.
Iranian authorities have cautioned Israel about the potential for a second front to emerge, as the Tehran-supported Hezbollah terrorist group has engaged in clashes with Israeli forces along the northern border adjacent to Lebanon.
U.S. officials have indicated that limited Arab tolerance for Israel’s military operations could completely dissipate if conditions in Gaza worsen. Their analysis suggests that if Arab leaders openly condemn Israel, it could bolster Hamas and potentially lead Iran to escalate its anti-Israel actions. This has raised concerns about the possibility of a regional conflict.
