US solider wounded on Christmas Day in Iraq recovering in Germany

In Germany, a U.S. soldier who was critically injured in a drone attack in Iraq on Christmas was able to breathe on his own Tuesday.

Garrett Illerbrunn, one of three soldiers injured in a drone attack targeting U.S. troops in northern Iraq, is in stable condition and receiving treatment, the hospital said.

According to Melissa Young, who is organizing a fundraiser for Illerbrunn and his family, who are based at Fort Liberty, N.C., the soldier is in a coma as of Tuesday.

Young wrote Tuesday on GoFundMe that Garrett was struck in the head by a piece of metal during the drone attack.

Illerbrunn was taken off sedation yesterday after he moved his face and arm, Young said. His wife, Lorna, is at Landstuhl with him.

In a Dec. 27 post on X, formerly known as Twitter, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum expressed gratitude for Illerbrunn's service to his father, Brad Illerbrunn.

115 rocket and drone strikes have been launched at U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria since the Israel-Hamas war started in October, according to U.S. Central Command figures.

According to Central Command, the U.S. launched retaliatory airstrikes some 13 hours later against three sites that "destroyed the targeted facilities and likely killed a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants."

Following the attack, Central Command described Illerbrunn as being in critical condition.