By Courtney Kube -
NBC News
A US contractor was killed and another contractor and five US servicemen were injured Thursday when a drone possibly "of Iranian origin" struck an international coalition military base near Hasakah in northeastern Syria, the Pentagon said in a statement. .
[Attack on US drone was approved in the Kremlin]
The intelligence community believes the drone was "of Iranian origin," according to the Pentagon.
The United States said it responded with airstrikes against targets in the area linked to Iran.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "At the direction of President Biden, I have authorized US Central Command forces to launch precision aerial strikes in eastern Syria against facilities used by groups affiliated with the Corps. the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)".
"The airstrikes were carried out in response to today's strikes and a series of attacks against Coalition forces in Syria by IRGC-affiliated groups," Austin said.
"Our thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the dead contractor and with those who were injured in today's attack."
The incident with the US drone is part of an "aggressive pattern" by the Russians.
They claim they defended themselves
March 15, 202302:01
General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the head of the US Central Command, said in testimony before Congress Thursday that there have been 78 attacks on US troop installations in Iraq and Syria since 2021. The attacks, mostly with drones and rockets, are carried out by Iran or groups linked to the Islamic nation.