In the overnight and early morning hours in Syria (local time), US forces carried out airstrikes on what it said are Iran-linked militants and installations in eastern Syria. Multiple targets have been hit.
According to a statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, "Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups." The attacks were reportedly done by US warplanes, likely operating out of either the Gulf or Mediterranean areas where new US naval assets have recently been positioned, keeping a watch on fast moving events in Gaza. Fox issued the following breaking detail:
F-16s and F-15s were used to strike targets in Syria earlier tonight in retaliation for the attacks on US troops in the region.
Earlier in the day there were reports, though with few details, that US forces in the same northeast region of Syria came under attack, as has been happening in the last several days. The Pentagon had also earlier announced that over a dozen US troops in Iraq and Syria have suffered Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the aftermath of drone and rocket attacks on US bases in the region.
Below is the full Pentagon statement, which seeks to emphasize that this new, high-risk military aggression is supposedly "separate" from the Israel-Gaza conflict...
The United States is also seeking to reassure a region which is clearly at heightened risk for breaking out into major war that it "does not seek conflict". But the long-running military occupation of Syria's oil and gas region suggests otherwise.
Update(1520ET): In the Pentagon's latest move to bolster US defenses in the Middle East against the 'Iran threat' - given the increased instances of Tehran proxies attacking US troop installations in Iraq and Syria over the last week - some 900 more Americans soldiers will be dispatched to the region.
A CBS correspondent has cited Pentagon Press Secretary, Gen. Patrick Ryder, who says 900 US troops have deployed or in process of deploying to bolster missile defense in CENTCOM's mideast region of operations. They are expected to man Patriot, THAAD and Avenger missile systems. Earlier this week US defense officials said these extra missile batteries are being deployed to the theatre ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive in Gaza.
The CBS reporter noted "This comes as Iranian-backed groups continue to attack US miliary in Iraq and Syria." Fears are growing that a major IDF push into the Gaza Strip would unleash broader retaliation strikes on US bases in the region. This could include Hezbollah, which operates both in Lebanon and Syria.
Israel's "preparation" strikes for the "next stage of war" - according to its officials - have continued to grow in intensity...
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