WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has launched an airstrike on a facility in eastern Syria used by Iranian-backed militias, in retaliation for a growing number of attacks on bases housing U. S. troops in the region in weeks, the Pentagon said.
Wednesday’s attack pierced two U. S. F-15 fighter jets and an arsenal of weapons connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
“The president has no higher priority than the protection of American personnel, and he has ordered today’s action to make it transparent that the United States will protect itself, its personnel, and its interests,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
This is the second time in less than two weeks that the U. S. has bombed facilities used by militant groups, many of which serve as umbrellas for the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which U. S. officials say has carried out at least 40 such attacks since Oct. 17. . .
On that day, a loud explosion rocked a hospital in Gaza, killing many people and sparking protests in several Muslim countries. The Israeli army relentlessly attacked Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ devastating devastation in southern Israel on October 7.
Israel has denied responsibility for the Al Ahli hospital explosion, and the U. S. has said its intelligence assessment found Tel Aviv responsible. But the Israeli military has continued its ferocious assault on Hamas, with ground troops now inside Gaza City, in a war that has left a staggering toll of more than 10,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry. Hamas-controlled territory.
The latest U. S. strike was aimed at cutting off supplies, weapons and ammunition in an effort to erode the ability of Iranian-backed militants to target Americans founded in Iraq and Syria. And it reflects the Biden administration’s determination to maintain a delicate balance. it needs to strike with the greatest force imaginable at Iranian-backed teams suspected of attacking the United States to deter any long-term aggression, if anything fueled by Israel’s war against Hamas, while trying to avoid further inflaming the region and provoking a wider conflict.
Similar U. S. airstrikes on Oct. 27 also targeted facilities in Syria, with officials at the time saying both sites were affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. When asked why those sites in Syria were selected, since many of the attacks took place in Iraq, the officials said the U. S. had targeted ammunition storage sites that could be related to U. S. personnel movements.
The U. S. has avoided bombing sites in Iraq to lessen the threat of killing Iraqis or angering Iraqi leaders.
Although officials said the measures were aimed at deterring additional attacks, they did not have that effect. Rocket and drone attacks occurred almost daily, and in almost all cases resulted in few injuries and few injuries.
According to the Pentagon, a total of forty-five workers were injured and all were involved in the October 17 and 18 attacks. Of those, 32 were in the al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria, with a combination of minor wounds and head injuries. Thirteen of them occurred at the Al-Asad air base in western Iraq, with four cases of head trauma and nine minor injuries. A user was injured at the Erbil air base in Iraq.
The Pentagon faces repeated questions about the effectiveness of deterrence against Iran and its proxies as attacks have escalated.
At the same time, the ministry has deployed several air defense systems and other forces in the region to bolster the coverage of U. S. forces. And on several occasions, the systems intercepted keystrokes. According to a U. S. official, the number of ships in the Middle East has more than doubled, the number of Patriot air defense missile systems has nearly tripled, a few more fighter jets have been added, and many more troops have been deployed to the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the force figures that have not yet been made public.