2021 Al-Tanf drone attack

{{Short description|Attack on a US army base in Syria}}

{{Infobox military operation

| name = 2021 Al-Tanf drone attack

| partof = 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis and the Syrian civil war

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| location = Al-Tanf base, Al-Tanf, Syria

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| coordinates = {{coord|33|30|21|N|38|37|04|E|display=inline,title}}

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| target = {{flagdeco|United States}} Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve
{{flagdeco|Syrian opposition}} Maghaweir al-Thowra

| date = 20 October 2021

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| timezone = UTC+2 (EET)

| executed_by = {{flagicon|Iran}} {{flagicon image|Seal of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution.svg}} Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (alleged)

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{{Campaignbox Syrian Civil War}}

On 20 October 2021, multiple projectiles struck the Al-Tanf U.S. military base in Syrian opposition controlled territory, where members of the CJTF-OIR were training a Free Syrian Army unit known as Maghaweir al-Thowra. Although no injuries were sustained, the attack was unusually heavy—seemingly a mix of drone and rocket systems, with as many as five munitions used. Both the FSA areas and CJTF-OIR areas of the base were attacked.{{Cite web|title=Attack hits Syria base that houses U.S. troops; no U.S. injuries|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/attack-hits-syria-base-houses-us-troops-no-us-injuries-rcna3466|access-date=2022-02-25|website=NBC News|language=en}} The coalition confirmed that the attack involved “a UAS [i.e., drone] attack coupled with IDF," referring to "Indirect Fire using Rockets."{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/attack-hits-syria-base-houses-us-troops-no-us-injuries-rcna3466|title = Attack hits Syria base that houses U.S. Troops; no U.S. Injuries|website = NBC News}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/militia-propaganda-around-attack-al-tanf|title = Militia Propaganda Around the Attack on al-Tanf}}

The attack on this US garrison may have been in response to Israeli activities, according to The New York Times.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/world/middleeast/iran-drone-al-tanf-syria.html|title=Strike on U.S. Base Was Iranian Response to Israeli Attack, Officials Say|newspaper=The New York Times|date=18 November 2021|last1=Schmitt|first1=Eric|last2=Bergman|first2=Ronen}} Pentagon officials said Iran was behind the attacks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/official-tells-voa-iran-believed-behind-attack-on-us-troops-in-syria/6285852.html|title = Official Tells VOA Iran Believed Behind Attack on US Troops in Syria}}