U. S. warplanes introduced airstrikes Friday morning at two sites in eastern Syria connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Pentagon said, in retaliation for a series of drone and missile strikes on U. S. bases and worker corps in the region that began early last week.
The U. S. actions reflect the Biden administration’s determination to maintain a delicate balance. The U. S. needs to strike Iranian-backed teams suspected of attacking the U. S. with the greatest force imaginable to deter any long-term aggression, in all likelihood driven by Israel’s war against Israel. Hamas, as it runs to avoid inflaming the region and provoking a wider conflict.
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According to a senior U. S. military official, the precision moves were carried out near Boukamal via two F-16 fighter jets and hit areas of ammunition and weapons garages linked to the IRGC. The official said there were Iranian-aligned militias and an IRGC staff corps at the base there are no civilians yet, but the U. S. does not yet have casualty data or an assessment of the damage. The official did not specify how much ammunition the F-16s dropped.
A senior defense official said the sites were selected because the IRGC stockpiled the types of munitions used in movements opposed to U. S. bases and troops. The two officials briefed reporters after the moves on condition of anonymity to provide the main points about the project that had yet to be made public.
According to the Pentagon, there have been at least 19 strikes on U. S. bases and worker corps in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17, adding 3 new ones on Thursday, the Air Force Brig. Gen. Gen. Pat Ryder said 21 U. S. workers were wounded in two of the drone strikes on the Al Asad air base in Iraq and the Al Tanf garrison in Syria.
In a statement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that “the precision self-defense measures are a reaction to a series of ongoing and generally unsuccessful attacks on the U. S. labor corps in Iraq and Syria through Iranian-backed militias, which began on October 1. 17. “
He said President Joe Biden targeted the measures “to send a transparent message that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will protect itself, its personnel, and its interests. “He added that the operation was separate from Israel’s war against Hamas.
The senior defense official told reporters that the F-16 airstrikes will have a significant effect on the ability of Iranian proxy teams to continue attacking U. S. forces. When asked about the target teams, the official replied that there were several that could have done so. But the U. S. blames Tehran for financing, arming, equipping and directing its proxies. The official said the airstrikes were not aimed at widening the standoff in the region, but rather to force Iran to order militias to stop attacks on U. S. bases and personnel. .
Biden’s leadership has not accused Iran of having a direct role in Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and has said that so far it appears Tehran is unaware of it. But the U. S. noted that Iran has long supported Hamas and raised considerations that Iran and its proxies may turn the clash into a broader war.
Austin said the U. S. is not seeking a broader conflict, but that if the Iranian-led teams continue, the U. S. will not hesitate to take further steps to bolster its forces.
According to the Pentagon, all U. S. workers injured in the attacks suffered minor injuries and all returned to work. In addition, a contractor went into cardiac arrest and died while seeking protection from a possible drone attack.
The retaliatory measures came as a surprise. Pentagon and White House officials made clear last week that the U. S. would respond, with Ryder repeating Thursday that it would be “at the time and position of our choosing. “
“I think we’ve been very transparent that we have an inherent right to preserve our troops and that we will take all mandatory steps to protect our forces and our interests overseas,” he told reporters at a Pentagon briefing later that day.
Biden said Wednesday that he had warned Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s ideal leader, that if Tehran continues to “act against” U. S. forces in the Middle East, “we will respond. “
The latest wave of action by Iranian-linked teams follows a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital that sparked protests in several Muslim countries. The Israeli army relentlessly attacked Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ devastating havoc in southern Israel just about three weeks ago. however, Israel has denied responsibility for the Al Ahli hospital explosion and the United States has said its intelligence assessment found Tel Aviv to blame.
The U. S. , the Pentagon adds, has said any U. S. reaction would be directly akin to attacks on troops and not the war between Israel and Hamas. Such retaliation and measures opposed to Iranian targets in Syria after similar attacks on U. S. bases are common.
In March, for example, the U. S. attacked sites in Syria used by teams affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards after an Iranian-linked strike killed a U. S. contractor and wounded seven other Americans in northeastern Syria. F-15 fighter jets flying from Qatar’s al-Udeid airbase attacked several locations around Deir el-Zour.
U. S. officials are constantly under pressure that the U. S. reaction must be proportionate and aimed at deterring measures opposed to the body of U. S. workers meant to fight the Islamic State group.
U. S. officials have publicly linked the recent spate of attacks in Syria and Iraq to the violence in Gaza, but Iranian officials have brazenly criticized the U. S. for supplying Israel with weapons that were used to attack Gaza, leading to civilian deaths.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has beefed up its air defenses in the region against U. S. forces. The United States has announced the shipment of several batteries of Patriot missile systems, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, and more fighter jets.
THAAD sent from Fort Bliss, Texas, and Patriot batteries came from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma. An Avenger air defense formula was also sent from Fort Liberty.
Officials said two battalions of Patriots would be deployed. A battalion would possibly consist of at least three Patriot batteries, with six to eight launchers.
Ryder said Thursday that about 900 troops have been deployed or are in the process of moving to the Middle East region, adding those related to air defense systems.
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