Iranian proxies have not attacked U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria in recent days following dozens of attacks over the past few weeks, according to the Department of Defense.
Those U.S. troops, which are in the region to ensure the lasting defeat of the Islamic State, have come under attack 66 times, with 32 coming in Iraq and 34 in Syria since Oct. 17 by Iranian proxy groups in the area. There haven't been any attacks since Nov. 23, though, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, confirmed to reporters on Monday.
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More than 60 U.S. troops have been injured in the attacks, while about half of them were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries, though they have all since returned to duty.
U.S. troops have responded with defensive strikes against various facilities used by the proxies launching the attacks.
Last week, the United States carried out strikes in Iraq after proxy forces launched a close-range ballistic missile at the al Asad Air Base, injuring eight people, U.S. Central Command said at the time. Immediately after the attack, a U.S. AC-130 gunship fired at a vehicle Pentagon officials said was carrying militia members, and several were killed.
The gunship fired on the vehicle because they determined they were responsible for launching the close-range ballistic missiles.
"The militants were targeted because the AC-130 was able to determine the point of origin from where the close-range ballistic missile was being fired upon — or fired to the base," deputy Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters. "So they were able to take action 'cause they saw the militants, they were able to keep an eye on the movement of these militants as they moved into their vehicles, and that's why they were able to respond."
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U.S. forces have also targeted a training facility and a safe house on Nov. 13, hit a weapons storage facility on Nov. 8, and struck a weapons storage facility and an ammunition storage area in Syria on Oct. 26.
DOD officials claim the strikes have degraded the proxies' capabilities, while U.S. officials are hoping to prevent an escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.