U.S. troops come under fire in Syria day after airstrikes targeted militias

Several rockets were fired at U.S. forces in eastern Syria on Monday, one day after American airstrikes targeted facilities used by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.
Col. Wayne Marotto, a spokesman for the U.S.-led mission in Syria, tweeted that "multiple rockets" targeted U.S. forces near the al-Omar oil field, and there have been no reports of any injuries. In a follow-up tweet, Marotto said while "under multiple rocket attack," U.S. forces "acted in self-defense and conducted counter-battery artillery fire at rocket launching positions." No one has claimed responsibility yet for the attack.
There are roughly 900 U.S. troops in the area, serving as protection and support to Syrian fighters who are fighting the remnants of the Islamic State. On Sunday, the U.S. carried out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iranian-backed militias believed to be responsible for several drone attacks against American troops in the region. U.S. officials said these drones are able to escape U.S. surveillance and defenses, CNN reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Elliot Ackerman’s 6 favorite books
Feature The Marine veteran recommends works by Robert A. Heinlein, John le Carré, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Budget: Will the GOP cut entitlements?
Feature Republicans are pushing for a budget to cut Medicaid
By The Week US Published
-
U.S. tariffs spark North American trade war
Feature Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China lead to market turmoil and growing inflation concerns
By The Week US Published
-
Is the pro-Assad insurgency a threat to the new Syria?
Today's Big Question Interim leader accuses regime loyalists and 'foreign backers' of trying to 'divide and destroy' the country
By The Week UK Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Arab leaders embrace Egypt's Gaza rebuilding plan
Speed Read The $53 billion proposal would rebuild Gaza without displacing Palestinian residents
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Germany's conservatives win power amid far-right gains
Speed Read The party led by Friedrich Merz won the country's national election; the primary voter issues were the economy and immigration
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia frees US teacher Marc Fogel in murky 'exchange'
Speed Read He was detained in Moscow for carrying medically prescribed marijuana
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Hamas pauses Gaza hostage release, upending ceasefire
Speed Read Hamas postponed the next scheduled hostage release 'until further notice,' accusing Israel of breaking the terms of their ceasefire deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Baltic States unplug from Russian grid, join EU's
Speed Read Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are disconnecting from the Soviet-era electricity grid to join the EU's network
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published