The United States has carried out targeted air strikes against two weapons and ammunition storage facilities in eastern Syria that were used by Iran‘s Revolutionary Guards and affiliated militia groups. The Pentagon has confirmed that the strikes were in response to a series of recent attacks on American bases in Iraq and Syria, which have resulted in 21 US military personnel suffering minor injuries.
The operation, which took place on Friday at around 04:30 local time near the town of Abu Kamal on the Syria-Iraq border, was carried out by a pair of F-16 US Air Force fighters. The aftermath and potential casualties from the strike are yet to be determined.
In a statement, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, “These precision self-defence strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17.” He emphasized that the strikes were “separate and distinct from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.”
Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder speaks at the Pentagon on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023 in Washington. The U.S. military launched airstrikes early Friday on two locations in eastern Syria linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Pentagon said, in retaliation for a slew of drone and missile attacks against U.S. bases and personnel in the region that began early last week. According to the Pentagon, there have been at least 12 attacks on U.S. bases and personnel in Iraq and four in Syria since Oct. 17. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
The strikes followed a message from President Joe Biden to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning against targeting US personnel in the Middle East. This came amid a broader regional tension, with fears of the Gaza Strip conflict escalating into a wider war.
Austin said, “These Iranian-backed attacks against US forces are unacceptable and must stop. If attacks by Iran’s proxies against US forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people.”
Iran, which supports both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon with arms and money, has not commented on the US air strikes. Meanwhile, the US has increased its military presence in the region, sending warships and fighter aircraft, and moving some 900 US troops to the area.
Police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. Photo / AP
It is important to note that the US is at pains to emphasize that these strikes are not connected to the Israel-Gaza conflict and that there was no coordination with Israel in carrying out the operation. The US is already perceived in the Arab world as a close ally of Israel, which has increased the alert level on American bases in the region.
The airstrikes represent a delicate balance for the Biden administration, which is seeking to deter future aggression by Iranian-backed groups while also aiming to avoid inflating the region’s tensions and provoking a wider conflict. As the situation continues to develop, it remains to be seen how Iran and its proxy groups will respond to this latest US military action.
