The United States military evacuated 19 injured personnel from the Middle East to Germany on Thursday, as tensions in the region continue to rise following the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
According to media reports, the evacuation reflects the growing human toll of the escalating conflict that has already triggered retaliatory strikes across the region.
According to a report by CBS News citing sources, the evacuation flight departed from Saudi Arabia, made a stop in Oman, and later landed at a US military base in Germany located near a military hospital.
The injured service members were transported for medical treatment as part of the US military’s emergency response to casualties linked to ongoing regional hostilities.
Drone explosion injured two service members
The report said that two of the evacuated personnel were wounded when a drone exploded near their vehicle.
The incident highlights the increasing use of drone warfare in the conflict, which has intensified since the launch of US and Israeli military strikes on Iran.
This evacuation follows another major medical transfer earlier this week.
The US military had previously evacuated dozens of service members injured in an attack on a US facility in Kuwait, an incident that killed six people.
According to sources who spoke to CBS News, around 20 injured personnel arrived Tuesday at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Many of those troops were suffering from serious injuries, including brain trauma, burns, and shrapnel wounds.
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, one of the largest US military hospitals outside the United States, declined to comment on Thursday’s evacuation when contacted by CBS News.
The facility has frequently served as a key treatment center for injured US personnel from conflict zones.
Conflict with Iran continues to escalate
The evacuations come as the US and Israel continue their joint military operation against Iran, which began on February 28. According to reports, the campaign has so far killed around 1,300 people, including several senior Iranian officials.
In response, Iran has launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Iraq, and several Gulf countries that host US military bases and personnel.
The growing exchange of strikes has raised concerns about a wider regional escalation in the Middle East.
