U.S. Forces in the Middle East: Under Attack and Defending Israel

U.S. forces are under attack in the Middle East. U.S. officials stated on June 14 that three drones had been launched at Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq, where U.S. troops are stationed. The drones were almost certainly fired by Iranian-backed proxies and were intercepted before hitting their targets. The attack comes amid renewed threats from Tehran, which has vowed to continue strikes against Israel and said it would attack U.S. bases as the U.S. military helps defend the Jewish state from Iran’s long-range missile and drone barrages.

Both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have warned Tehran not to attack U.S. forces in the region. The likely use of proxies to target U.S. troops in Iraq indicates that Tehran may be testing the willingness of the United States to impose costs on those who defy its warnings.

Iran Threatens U.S. Forces

While it is unclear which specific group conducted the attack on Al-Asad, a network of Iran-backed militias operates in Iraq under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), which have previously assaulted U.S. forces in both Iraq and Syria, as well as attacking Israel. Last week, multiple Iraqi Iranian-backed militias demanded that U.S. forces withdraw from Iraq. On June 15, one of Iran’s most potent proxies in the country, Kataib Hezbollah, threatened to attack U.S. forces if America intervened in the conflict. Iran has also threatened to target French and UK forces if they assist in defending Israel.

Washington Moves to Defend U.S. Forces and Israel

U.S. preparations for an Iranian response began prior to Israel’s strikes against Iran, including evacuations of non-essential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and departures of U.S. military dependents in the region. In light of the attack in Iraq, these moves proved prescient.

On June 13, U.S. European Command deployed additional destroyers to the eastern Mediterranean, the same types of vessels that participated in the U.S. defense of Israel during Iran’s missile and drone attacks in April and October of 2024. Over the past three days, American ground-based air defense systems and at least one U.S. Navy destroyer have assisted Israel in intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles.

The United States has also maintained a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in Israel since last fall and reportedly deployed a second battery this spring to augment Israel’s integrated air and missile defense network. Likewise, the United States operates ground-based air defense systems in several other Middle Eastern countries, as well as air and naval forces, that may assist Israel in defending against Iranian ballistic missile, cruise missile, and drone attacks.

U.S. Must Strengthen Force Posture in the Region

If past is prologue, the attack on Al-Asad Air Base will not be the last time Iran or its proxies target U.S. troops with drones or other munitions. The Trump administration should move quickly to ensure that U.S. forces have the additional ground, air, and naval assets needed to defend against future attacks. Washington must also ensure that U.S. forces have permission to respond with overwhelming force when attacked.

Experience shows that an insufficient response encourages further assaults. Washington made precisely that mistake during previous cycles of attacks on U.S. forces in the region, which led to the deaths of three American soldiers in Jordan in January 2024. The best defense is to show Tehran and its proxies that punishment for aggression is a certainty.

Cameron McMillan is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ (FDD’s) Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP), where Ryan Brobst is the deputy director. For more analysis from the authors and CMPP, please subscribe HERE. Follow Ryan on X @RyanBrobst_. Follow FDD on X @FDD and @FDD_CMPP. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.