Iraqi Resistance Claims Responsibility For Drone Attack On Israeli-Occupied Golan

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A suicide drone struck the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights late on December 27 in an attack claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella group of Iranian-backed armed factions.

The drone struck the settlement of Eliad in the southern Golan, causing no injuries but some damage to a number of unspecified structures.

In a statement to Golan Heights residents, Israeli authorities said the “hostile unmanned aircraft” was located by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The drone did not trigger Israel’s sirens and there was no attempt to intercept it as it had gone undetected. The IDF assesses that the drone was launched from Syria, according to Hebrew media.

The IRI later claimed responsibility, saying in a statement that a “vital target” located to the south of Eliad was attacked using “appropriate weapons” in response to Israeli “crimes” against Palestinains in the Gaza Strip.

This was IRI’s sixth attack against Israel since the war in Gaza broke out on October 7. Last week, the group attacked the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat as well as a “vital target” in the Mediterranean Sea that was later identified by Hebrew media as the Karish gas rig.

In addition, the IRI has reportedly launched attacks against United States forces in Iraq and Syria since the beginning of the war in Gaza. A U.S. military tally has counted 105 attacks against its troops in the two countries since October 17, most claimed by the group.

On December 27 alone, the IRI attacked two bases near Erbil International Airport and to the northeast of the northern Iraqi Kurdish city. The group said that the first base belonged to the U.S., but described the second as a “technical spying” base of Israel.

The U.S. military carried out strikes on three sites used by Iranian-backed factions in Iraq on December 25 in response to a drone attack that took place earlier in the day. The attack, claimed by the IRI, wounded three American troops, one critically.

The retaliatory U.S. killed at least one fighter of Kata’ib Hezbollah, which is thought to be a key faction of the IRI, and wounded 24 others.

The Golan drone attack shows how the IRI has been working to expand its operations against Israel in support of Gaza. Despite recent deadly U.S. strikes, the group, which possesses advanced long-range offensive capabilities, remains undeterred.

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