US-Backed Kurdish Fighters Killed In Syria Drone Strike

A road sign welcomes people to the town of Deir al-Zor in Syria September 20, 2017.
A road sign welcomes people to the town of Deir al-Zor in Syria September 20, 2017.

Iranian proxies are alleged to have killed six fighters from US-backed Kurdish forces after a drone strike targeted a military academy in a US base near the Al Omar oil field in Syria. 

The drone strike is believed to have originated from areas under Syrian government control in Deir al Zor and where Iran-backed militia are known to operate and launch such attacks.

The incident unfolds amidst heightened tensions in the region, with Iran-backed groups expressing solidarity with Palestinians amid escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas. Across the Middle East, Iran's militias in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen have launched attacks on Israel and the US since October 7.

Iran-backed Hamas invaded Israel on the most deadly single day for Jews since the Holocaust, sparking a bitter response from Israel which has led to a wider regional conflict.

In response to an attack in Jordan that claimed the lives of three US soldiers and injured dozens more, this weekend saw attacks launched against Iran-affiliated targets in Yemen, Iraq and Syria. It comes after more than 160 attacks have been launched on US targets since October 7 alone, as a response to US support for Israel's right to defend itself in the wake of the October 7 atrocities.