US Troops in Iraq and Syria Under Fire, Contradicting Harris's Claim

Despite Vice President Kamala Harris's assertion that there are no US troops in active combat zones, newly released footage shows American forces being targeted by enemy fire in Iraq and Syria. Congressman Jim Banks, a Republican from Indiana, obtained the video from a service member and maintains that it proves the Biden administration is misleading the public about the risks faced by US troops overseas.

Newly released footage has emerged, contradicting Vice President Kamala Harris's claim that the US does not have troops in active combat zones. The harrowing video, obtained by Indiana Republican Congressman Jim Banks, shows a firestorm of bullets and explosives targeting US troops and was taken within the last "few months," according to Banks, who obtained it from a service member.

US Troops in Iraq and Syria Under Fire, Contradicting Harris's Claim

The time and place of the footage cannot be divulged due to national security concerns. During her debate with former President Trump last week, Harris boasted of the Biden administration's efforts to get US troops out of war zones like Afghanistan.

"There is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world, the first time this century," she claimed.

US Troops in Iraq and Syria Under Fire, Contradicting Harris's Claim

"That is just a complete lie," Banks told Fox News Digital. "This video proves that we have troops being fired on."

"Without a doubt," US troops are being fired at regularly, added Banks, an Afghanistan veteran and Armed Services Committee member. "We have troops currently in Syria. We still have troops in Iraq. We have troops in the Middle East. The Houthis are using our Navy ships as target practice. We have dangerous threats around the world, and Kamala Harris is trying to score cheap political points and lie to the American people right before the election to say that we don't have troops in combat zones," Banks said.

US Troops in Iraq and Syria Under Fire, Contradicting Harris's Claim

Iraq and Syria are designated combat zones, and troops that serve there earn combat pay. The US has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria. The Defense Department is in talks about a plan to pull Americans out of Iraq beginning next year.

In an operation last month, US troops and Iraqi forces killed a senior commander with the Islamic State, in addition to several other prominent militants, for a total 14 ISIS operatives.

US Troops in Iraq and Syria Under Fire, Contradicting Harris's Claim

The Islamic State group seized territory at the height of its power and declared a caliphate over swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014. It was defeated in Iraq in 2017, but attacks by ISIS sleeper cells across Iraq and Syria have been on the rise over the past few years.

The Pentagon told Fox News Digital that service members are stationed in various dangerous locations but noted that those deployments are made by the executive branch and not due to wars declared by Congress.

"An aspect of military service includes serving in locations where hostile actions may occur," a defense official said. "Those locations are designated by executive order and/or the secretary of defense."

However, it’s important to note that just because a service member is in one of these locations does not mean they are engaged in war," the official added. "The US is not currently engaged in a war and does not have troops fighting in active war zones anywhere in the world."