A US military base at Syria's occupied Omar oil field in Deir Ezzor province has come under attack by unknown groups following last night's Biden-ordered airstrike on militia bases along the Syria-Iraq border. Western sources are reporting it as "revenge" by "Iran-backed militias"for the Sunday night US military action against pro-Iranian encampments along Syria's eastern border, which left multiple militia members dead.
Syrian state news agency SANA has confirmed that US forces at the oil field have come under attack by "unknown" militants, further as Kurdistan media source Rudaw News has cited US-backed SDF sources which have also confirmed a mortar attack. The US coalition later indicated no casualties resulted.
An unconfirmed social media video appears to also show a missile launched in the direction of al-Omar, with other early reports saying a barrage of artillery and surface-to-surface rockets were unleashed.
A BBC regional correspondent is further reporting that "At least 8 rockets have landed in a US military base near Omar oil field in Deir Ezzor" based on statements by Iran-backed militias.
The al-Omar field is considered the largest in all of Syria. Initially taken by ISIS back in 2014, its pre-war production was commonly estimated at 400,000 barrels per day (bpd).
It was soon after wrested from Islamic State control by US-backed Kurdish fighters, who occupied it along with American military advisers before the Syrian Army could gain control. The initial operation which led to US occupation of the oil field had crucially involved American airpower in support of the SDF ground force at the time.
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