An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off from Incirlik Air Base, Turkey in support of Operation Inherent Resolve Aug. 12, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Krystal Ardrey /Released)
The United States carried out airstrikes targeting two facilities in eastern Syria on October 26, according to a statement from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, following a series of drone and rocket attacks against bases in the country and neighboring Iraq.
The statement said that the facilities have been used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated forces.
The strikes were carried out by a pair of F-16 fighter jets using precision-guided munitions. They targeted a weapons and ammunition storage facility in the town of al-Bukamal in Deir Ezzor governorate, close to the border between Syria and Iraq.
Austin said that the “precision self-defense strikes” were a response to a series of “ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks” against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed forces that began on October 17. As a result of these attacks, one U.S. citizen contractor died from a cardiac incident while sheltering in place; 21 U.S. troops suffered from minor injuries, but all have since returned to duty.
“The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,” the defense secretary said.
Austin described the strikes as “narrowly tailored in self-defense” and emphasized they are separate from the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
He directly accused Iran of having a role in the attacks on U.S.forces, saying in the statement, “Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not let them.” Austin also promised further strikes if the attacks by Iran’s proxies continue.
A senior U.S. military official told CNN that the two facilities targeted by U.S. strikes in eastern Syria had been previously occupied by members of the IRGC affiliated forces, adding that it’s still unclear if the strikes resulted in any casualties.
“We know that there were people on the target at various points during the day,” said the official during a briefing with reporters following the attack. “Again, we know that they were not civilians,” the official added. “The people that occupy these locations are Iranian-aligned militia groups as well as IRGC personnel.”
On August 26, the Israeli Resistance in Iraq, an Iranian-backed coalition of Shia armed factions, said that it had attacked two U.S. bases in Iraq, Ayn al-Assad Air Base in the western province of al-Anbar and a base located near Erbil International Airport in the northern Kurdistan region, and third one in Syria, al-Shaddadi base in the northeastern governorate of al-Hasakah, with drones and rockets. The coalition has been claiming responsibility for attacks against U.S. bases in the two countries.
A video released by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq showed the launch of two suicide drones, which appeared to be identical to the Iranian-made Ababil-2, at Erbil airport base. Another video that was posted to social media showed fires at the base.
A few hours before announcing its strikes on Syria, the Pentagon said that it had deployed 900 troops and air defense systems in the Middle East.
“These include forces that have been on prepare to deploy orders, and which are deploying from the continental United States,” Pentagon spokesman Brigade General Pat Ryder told reporters. “Deployed and deploying units include a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense [THAAD] battery from Fort Bliss Texas, Patriot batteries from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Patriot and Avenger batteries from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and associated air defense headquarters elements from Fort Bliss and Fort Cavazos, Texas.”
Ryder added that the deploying units would not be going to Israel and are “intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster U.S. force protection capabilities.”
The U.S. has been providing Israel with unconditional political and military support since the war broke out in Gaza after the October 7 Hamas-led surprise attack. Attacks on U.S. bases began after Washington backed the claim that an explosion that killed nearly 500 civilians at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in the strip on October 17 was caused by a Palestinian rocket misfire, not an Israeli strike.
The intensity and scale of attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East are expected to increase once Israel launches its invasion into Gaza. The strikes on eastern Syria will not likely deter Iranian-backed forces.
us interest in middle east would be to keep low profile as their military bases are not welcome.
israeli conflict, similarly to ukrainian, would benefit china.
the rotten albatross in zionazi occupied palestine will drag the demented ussan golem to its doom. what a wonderful sight to watch as the world wakes up to the evil that the anglozionazi empire of filth can no longer disguise. let the bear and the dragon finally cure these sickne$$.
dass am 17. oktober im al-ahli arab hospital im gazastreifen fast 500 zivilisten ums leben gekommen sein sollen ist eine lüge !
und wenn dann traf es die richtigen, denn in gaza gibt es keine zivilisten, sondern nur terroristen !!!
viele gruesse aus deutschland !
bei ca. 2 millionen terroristen, wäre israel schon überrant worden.
its time to get serious
i own 16 lgbt rubber ducks
according to presstv.ir : a loud explosion was heard early on friday at a us military base in the eastern syrian province of dayr al-zawr, following us strikes on two military sites in the region.
“citing sources, the al-mayadeen news network reported the explosion at the base that houses us troops in the conoco gas field.”
time iran gave those rats another al asad attack.
” one u.s. citizen contractor died from a cardiac incident while sheltering in place; 21 u.s. troops suffered from minor injuries, but all have since returned to duty” that means there were deaths in the typical us media liar news
if the president had really no higher priority than the safety of us personnel, he would withdraw from the middle east, and stop protecting the sand nazi squatter regime.
sf corect this sentence:the israeli resistance in iraq, an iranian-backed coalition of