US military hints it could use laser and microwave weapons to fend off attacks on its bases near Israel

• A Pentagon official hinted that "directed energy" weapons could be available to protect US bases. 
• The weapons use lasers or microwaves to shoot down drones and missiles. 
• It comes as pro-Iranian militias step up attacks on US bases amid increasing tensions.

The Pentagon has hinted that it could use laser and microwave weapons to fend off attacks on its bases near Israel.

At a briefing on Tuesday, Department of Defense Press Secretary Pat Ryder discussed tensions in the Middle East that have seen militia groups attack US bases in Iraq and Syria in response to Israel's attacks on Gaza. 

When asked what weapons systems were being used to defend bases, Ryder hinted that directed energy weapons, which use lasers or microwaves to take out targets, could be available to use alongside traditional air defense systems.

"I don't want to go into the specific capabilities that we're using to protect our forces, other than to say we have a wide variety which does include directed energy capabilities," Ryder said. 

Laser weapons have long been a staple in sci-fi, but they're fast becoming a battlefield reality. 

Directed energy weapons are defined as those that use high amounts of concentrated energy, usually laser or microwave, that are directed at targets to destroy or damage them. 

Given the speed at which the energy travels, they are faster than even the most sophisticated missile systems and don't use ammunition so aren't reliant on artillery stocks. 

"Because they use energy instead of bullets or missiles, directed energy weapons could be less expensive per shot and have virtually unlimited firing power," said a 2023 US Government Accountability Office report (GAO). 

Several countries are reported to be working on the weapons, and the US government is spending $1 billion a year developing them. 

However, according to the GAO, the weapons have a shorter range than more conventional weapons systems and can be negatively impacted by weather conditions such as fog or storms. 

"The US military has tested a variety of DEW (directed energy weapon) prototypes since 2014, primarily for counter-drone missions," it said. 

USNI, a defense news site, reported in 2021 that the US Navy had begun deploying directed energy weapons capable of disabling drones onto 8 destroyers. 

In the wake of Israel's attacks on Gaza, pro-Iranian militias in Iraq have launched a series of attacks on US bases using drones and rockets, injuring around two dozen personnel, NBC News reported. 

The US has said it is deploying air defense systems to counter the attacks. 

The attacks come amid fears the Israel-Hamas war could escalate into a wider regional conflict.