The civilian employee had a “cardiac episode” while seeking refuge from a possible attack.
According to Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a US civilian contractor had a “cardiac episode” and passed away on Wednesday when workers were seeking cover from a possible drone attack on al-Asad Airbase in Iraq.
Ryder said during a briefing in Washington that although there was no direct attack, “sadly, a US civilian contractor suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and passed away shortly thereafter.”
The previous day, two drones had targeted the base. Ryder did not claim that any specific armed organisation was responsible for the attacks.
The US typically blames Iranian-backed militia organisations when Al-Asad Airbase is targeted by missiles and drones. A similar occurrence occurred in 2021, during which a civilian contractor suffered a heart attack while the base was actually under rocket fire.
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Al-Asad’s notice on Wednesday came right after drones assaulted the US outpost at Al-Tanf in southern Syria. According to Ryder, one drone was shot down, while another crashed into the base, injuring a number of troops slightly.
A US vessel operating in Yemen was attacked by roughly two dozen drones on Thursday, according to Ryder. According to Ryder, the USS Carney also successfully deflected a number of missiles fired from Yemen by Houthi troops. He said that the Pentagon was unable to determine the rockets’ intended target but speculated that they might have been Israeli targets.
Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began about two weeks ago, the US has sent a sizable naval force to the region, including two aircraft carrier groups.
Ryder said during the briefing on Thursday, “I’m not going to forecast any future response to these attacks. “I’ll just say that we’ll take all necessary measures to protect US and coalition soldiers from any danger. If a reaction is necessary, it will arrive when and how we choose.
