III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 515 

Condemning attacks by Iranian military proxies on the Armed Forces of 

the United States in Iraq and Syria and emphasizing the urgency of 

responding to and deterring such attacks. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 19, 2023 

Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. CRUZ, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, 

Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. MANCHIN, Mrs. BRITT, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. HAGERTY, Mr. BENNET, Mrs. BLACKBURN, and Mr. SULLIVAN) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning attacks by Iranian military proxies on the 

Armed Forces of the United States in Iraq and Syria 

and emphasizing the urgency of responding to and deterring such attacks. 

Whereas, since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the Islamic 

Republic of Iran and its proxies have terrorized neighboring countries and fueled regional instability and violence, including insurgencies and civil wars in Lebanon, 

Iraq, Syria, and Yemen and attacks on Israel and United 

States allies in the Persian Gulf; 

Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran, including through the 

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, continues to provide 

2 

•SRES 515 IS 

financing, training, and other forms of support to militia 

groups in Iraq and Syria; 

Whereas Iran-controlled militia groups operating in Iraq and 

Syria include Kata’ib Hizbullah, Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, 

Harakat Hizbullah al-Nujaba, and Kata’ib Sayyid alShuhada; 

Whereas Iran-backed militia groups frequently target United 

States Armed Forces in Iraq and Syria, including 

through loitering munitions, improvised explosive devices, 

rockets, and ballistic missiles; 

Whereas, in November 2023, individuals associated with 

Kata’ib Hizbullah and Asa’ib Ahl al Haq claimed that 

such groups were responsible for attacks on United 

States Armed Forces, along with Harakat Hizbullah alNujaba and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada; 

Whereas the rate of attacks by Iran-backed militia groups 

against United States Armed Forces in the Middle East 

increased significantly following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, 

terrorist attack against Israel; 

Whereas, since mid-October 2023, Iran-backed militia groups 

have attacked United States Armed Forces at least 115 

times in Iraq and Syria; 

Whereas such attacks have injured more than 60 United 

States military personnel, including through shrapnel 

wounds, perforated eardrums, and traumatic brain injuries; 

Whereas such attacks have damaged the military infrastructure of partner countries, including barracks housing 

members of the United States Armed Forces at Erbil Air 

Base, and pose an ongoing risk to the security of personnel, facilities, and citizens of partner countries; 

3 

•SRES 515 IS 

Whereas, on December 8, 2023, Iran-controlled militias attacked the United States embassy in Baghdad with mortar fire; 

Whereas, since the October 7 Hamas attack, the administration of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., has moved warships, combat aircraft, air defense systems, and additional members of the United States Armed Forces to the 

Middle East to deter militant groups from widening the 

conflict; 

Whereas United States Armed Forces have carried out a series of strikes in Iraq and Syria in direct response to attacks or impending attacks by Iran-backed militia groups 

against United States and coalition forces, including— 

(1) on December 3, 2023, when United States 

Armed Forces engaged 5 militants near Kirkuk, Iraq, 

preparing to launch a one-way attack drone; 

(2) on November 22, 2023, when United States 

Armed Forces conducted airstrikes against 2 facilities in 

Iraq; 

(3) on November 21, 2023, when a United States 

AC–130 gunship engaged individuals responsible for 

launching a missile attack on United States and coalition 

forces at Al Assad Airbase, Iraq; 

(4) on November 12, 2023, when United States 

Armed Forces conducted airstrikes against facilities associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and 

affiliated groups near the cities of Abu Kamal and 

Mayadin, Syria; 

(5) on November 8, 2023, when United States 

Armed Forces conducted airstrikes on a weapons storage 

facility in eastern Syria used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups; and 

4 

•SRES 515 IS 

(6) on October 26, 2023, when United States Armed 

Forces conducted self-defense strikes on 2 facilities in 

eastern Syria used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard 

Corps and affiliated groups; 

Whereas the United States maintains 900 members of the 

Armed Forces in Syria and 2,500 members in Iraq to advise and assist local forces to prevent a resurgence of the 

Islamic State; 

Whereas United States Armed Forces in Iraq also provide 

support to North Atlantic Treaty Organization Mission 

Iraq; 

Whereas United States Armed Forces remain present in Iraq 

at the invitation of the Government of Iraq; 

Whereas Iran-backed Houthi rebels have conducted a series 

of attacks on commercial ships traveling through the Red 

Sea, a vital global trade route, including— 

(1) on December 3, 2023, when ballistic missiles 

fired by Houthi rebels struck 3 commercial ships in the 

Red Sea while a United States warship shot down 3 

drones in self-defense; 

(2) on December 13, 2023, when 2 missiles fired 

from territory held by Houthi rebels missed a commercial 

tanker loaded with jet fuel near the Bab el-Mandab 

Strait; 

(3) on December 14, 2023, when a missile fired 

from Houthi-controlled territory missed a container ship 

in the Bab el-Mandab Strait; 

(4) on December 15, 2023, when a ballistic missile 

fired by Houthi rebels struck a container ship and caused 

it to catch fire; and 

5 

•SRES 515 IS 

(5) on December 18, 2023, when Houthi rebels attacked 2 commercial ships in the Red Sea with naval 

drones; 

Whereas such attacks threaten the safety of ships carrying 

oil, grain, and other goods through the Red Sea, many 

of which include cargo and energy shipments vital to the 

United States and partners in Europe and Asia; 

Whereas such attacks have forced global shipping companies 

including MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, BP, and others to 

stop using the Red Sea as a travel route for shipments; 

and 

Whereas, on December 19, 2023, the United States announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, an expanded 

maritime protection force involving certain countries in 

the Middle East to combat attacks on vessels traveling 

through the Red Sea: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns attacks by Iran-backed militia 

3 groups on members of the United States Armed 

4 Forces in Iraq and Syria and support by Iran for 

5 such attacks; 

6 (2) calls on the administration of President Jo7 seph R. Biden, Jr., to increase pressure on the Is8 lamic Republic of Iran to stop such attacks and 

9 cease support for militia groups that target members 

10 of the United States Armed Forces in Iraq and 

11 Syria; 

6 

•SRES 515 IS 

1 (3) recognizes that maintaining United States 

2 Armed Forces in Iraq and Syria is critical to secur3 ing the national interests of the United States by 

4 maintaining regional stability and combatting ter5 rorism; 

6 (4) supports the priorities of the Commander of 

7 the United States Central Command to deter the Is8 lamic Republic of Iran, counter violent extremist or9 ganizations, and compete strategically; 

10 (5) commends the mission focus and resiliency 

11 of the United States Armed Forces in conducting 

12 self-defense strikes against Iran-backed militia 

13 groups that pose a threat to United States Armed 

14 Forces and interests in Iraq and Syria; 

15 (6) recognizes the decision of the Biden admin16 istration to increase the presence of United States 

17 Armed Forces in the Middle East to deter Iran18 backed militia groups from attacking members of 

19 the United States and undermining the national in20 terests of the United States; and 

21 (7) urges the Biden administration— 

22 (A) to take steps necessary to deter the Is23 lamic Republic of Iran from supporting further 

24 attacks; and 

7 

•SRES 515 IS 

1 (B) to declare that further provocations by 

2 the Islamic Republic of Iran will be met with a 

3 swift and decisive response in full coordination 

4 with United States allies and partners to ad5 dress the threat Iran-backed militia groups pose 

6 to the United States and allied forces in the 

7 Middle East. 

Æ