In a spate of drone attacks over the last 24 hours, coalition forces were slightly injured at U.S. bases in Iraq. Two drones targeted a base in western Iraq, while another drone targeted a base in northern Iraq. Fortunately, forces were able to intercept all three drones. Two of the drones were destroyed, but the third drone only suffered damage, resulting in minor injuries among coalition forces at the western base, according to a statement by U.S. Central Command.

The attacks come as tensions in the region continue to escalate following the deadly bombing of a hospital in Gaza. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have threatened to attack U.S. facilities due to American support for Israel. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iranian-backed militias, claimed responsibility for the two attacks and warned of more operations against the "American occupation."

These drone attacks occurred during a period of increasing tension and fears of a broader regional conflict following the recent Hamas-Israel war. Attention has been focused on Hezbollah, the powerful ally of Hamas in Lebanon, and its formidable arsenal. Hezbollah has engaged in limited strikes with Israel on the border in recent days. Ahmad “Abu Hussein” al-Hamidawi, the head of the Kataib Hezbollah militia, issued a statement threatening the U.S. with missile strikes if it intervenes in the battle and also threatened to launch missiles at Israeli targets.

The explosion at the Gaza hospital on Tuesday night, which resulted in hundreds of deaths, has further fueled the animosity. The Iranian-backed militias blamed the U.S. and its support for Israel for the catastrophe and called for an end to the American presence in Iraq. Meanwhile, Hamas has claimed that the explosion was caused by an Israeli airstrike, while Israel has blamed a misfired rocket by Palestinian militants.

A defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the attack on the al-Asad military base in western Iraq. Another Iranian-backed militia named Tashkil al-Waritheen claimed responsibility for a second drone attack, targeting the al-Harir airbase in northern Iraq. Officials have not yet commented on this claim. The government of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region reported that an intercepted drone crashed near the village of Batas.

Additionally, Iranian-backed groups in Iraq have formed a "joint operations room" to support Hamas in its war effort. While the armed groups are prepared to join the wider battle against Israel, they have not received approval from Iran to open a new front. Leaders from some of these factions are currently in Lebanon and Syria, awaiting orders to proceed.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad declined to comment on the situation. Analysts suggest that in the short term, the Iranian-backed groups in Iraq are unlikely to open a new front in the war. However, if the Hamas-Israel conflict escalates or becomes protracted, the situation could change. The Iran-backed groups in Iraq are divided between those that are political parties with a stake in the Iraqi political system and the more militant groups that are tightly controlled by Iran and have been utilized in regional conflicts.

As tensions continue to rise, the international community closely watches the situation for any further escalations.