US fighter jets launched airstrikes early Friday on two facilities in eastern Syria, which are linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in response to a series of drone and missile attacks on US bases and troops in the region that began early last week, the Pentagon said.
As tensions between Israel and Hamas increase, US and coalition forces have been attacked at least 19 times in Iraq and Syria by Iran-backed forces in the past week.
Pentagon on Airstrikes in Syria
The US airstrikes occurred early Friday near Al-Bukamal, a Syrian town on the border with Iraq, and were carried out by two F-16 fighter jets equipped with precision munitions, as confirmed by a senior US official. According to the official, the targets were weapons and ammunition storage sites.
Another senior US defence official stated that the locations were selected because, at the site, the IRGC maintains all kinds of explosives used in the attacks against US bases and personnel.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 27, 2023
2 US fighter jets have struck Al-Bukamal on the border between Syria and Iraqi retaliation for attacks on US military bases by Iranian-backed militias
The Pentagon says the war planes struck facilities used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and militias it backs. pic.twitter.com/qMuJ5EFQ2S
In a statement, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin claimed, “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.”
Austin also confirmed that these attacks were conducted on the order of US President Joe Biden. “The President has no higher priority than the safety of US 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,” he said.
Furthermore, Austin mentioned that, due to these strikes, one US citizen contractor died from cardiac arrest while sheltering in place, and 21 US soldiers were injured but have since returned to duty.
“The US does not seek conflict and has no intention nor desire to engage in further hostilities, but these Iranian-backed attacks against US forces are unacceptable and must stop,” the defence secretary asserted.
He reiterated that these attacks were carried out entirely in self-defence to protect US forces in Iraq and Syria. “[The airstrikes] are separate and distinct from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and do not constitute a shift in our approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict.”
Attacks on US Bases in Middle East
Iran-backed organisations have abstained from attacking US soldiers in Iraq and Syria with drones or rockets for over six months. However, in the aftermath of Hamas’ 7 October attack on Israel, in which over 1,400 people were killed, there has been a rise in attacks against US personnel for supporting Israel.
As Israel - backed by the US - prepares for a ground invasion of Gaza, the security of US bases and interests in the Middle East is increasingly under scrutiny due to the threat of attacks originating from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemenhttps://t.co/tIikbRCtjW
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) October 25, 2023
US troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked 13 times in the last week, stated Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder at a news briefing on 24 October. While the attacks were intercepted mainly by US missile defences, Ryder claimed 24 US troops were injured.
Ryder also mentioned that the US has no evidence that Iran “explicitly ordered” the recent attacks. However, a senior defence official said, “It’s fair to say when you see this uptick in activity and attacks by many of these groups, there’s Iranian fingerprints all over it.”
Reports indicate Iran has a network of proxy forces in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Gaza, and Bahrain. While many of the organisations have local objectives, Iran provides them with training, weapons, and funds, bolstering Tehran’s influence in the region.
According to the Washington Institute, one network, particularly the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has claimed responsibility for at least 11 attacks against US forces.
Roughly 900 US troops have been deployed or are deploying to the Middle East amid heightened tensions in the region after a series of attacks on coalition bases that resulted in minor injuries for almost two dozen troops.https://t.co/cczCKpPnYl
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) October 26, 2023
The USS Carney shot down three missiles and drones fired by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on 19 October. US officials claim they were not launched at the American Navy destroyer but may have instead been aimed at Israel.
However, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, the Houthi commander, warned immediately after Hamas attacked Israel that if the US were involved directly in Gaza, his group would respond with missiles and drones.
Latest Development in Israel-Hamas War
In the latest development, Israeli ground forces and jets attacked central Gaza. The attack represents an escalation of hostilities in the region. Without getting into details, the Israeli military confirmed the operation, adding that it was in response to ongoing security concerns.
As the Gaza Strip reels under the Israeli bombardment and siege, EU leaders have urged for humanitarian pauses in the fight between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Air attacks and a “complete siege” by Israel have shut off access to food, water, power, and fuel for the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million Palestinians, drawing outrage from around the Middle East.
Devastating airstrikes by Israel have destroyed entire neighbourhoods and killed over 7,000 people in Gaza, some of whom were in areas where Israel had directed Palestinians to leave for their safety.