Military strikes
The U.S. conducted military strikes on facilities in eastern Syria that were utilized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran and groups supported by them.
This action was taken in response to a recent series of attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.
These attacks, which occurred amidst escalating tensions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, targeted U.S. and coalition troops.
Over the past week, there have been 19 such attacks, resulting in minor injuries to 21 U.S. personnel, with the majority suffering from traumatic brain injuries.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that these strikes were carried out in self-defense to counter ongoing attacks by Iranian-backed groups against U.S. personnel that began on October 17.
The decision to order these strikes was made by President Joe Biden. Secretary Austin emphasized that these attacks by Iran’s proxies are unacceptable and need to cease. The U.S. is prepared to take further actions to protect its personnel if such attacks continue.
The strikes took place near Abu Kamal, a Syrian town on the border with Iraq, at approximately 4:30 a.m. on a Friday. They were conducted by two F-16 fighter jets using precision munitions, targeting weapons and munitions storage facilities.
The United States has occasionally conducted retaliatory strikes against Iranian-backed forces in the region when they attack American forces.
President Biden issued a warning to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urging Tehran not to target U.S. personnel in the Middle East.
The United States maintains a presence of 900 troops in Syria and an additional 2,500 in neighboring Iraq, with a mission to advise and assist local forces in preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State.
There is growing concern that the Israel-Hamas conflict could have broader regional implications and pose a threat to isolated U.S. bases.
The U.S. is seeking specific actions from Iran to instruct its militias and proxies to stand down. The strikes were not coordinated with Israel.
Additionally, the United States has deployed warships and fighter aircraft to the region to deter Iran and Iran-backed groups since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, with thousands of additional troops added to the region.
