Pro-Iranian militias have been attacking US forces in Iraq and Syria for weeks – and there are attacks on American targets again. There is great concern that the war in Gaza will expand.
The US military has carried out another airstrike in eastern Syria in response to recent attacks by pro-Iranian militias.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the target was an arms depot that was used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and their allies. At the end of October, the USA had already carried out air strikes against two similar targets in eastern Syria. This is heightening concerns that the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas could escalate into a larger conflict.
After the new air strike by the US military, American targets in Syria and Iraq were attacked again. U.S. Defense Department deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that since the U.S. airstrike on a weapons depot in eastern Syria the day before, there have been four more attacks on U.S. forces in the region: one in Iraq and three in Syria. The number of such attacks on military bases with US soldiers in the two countries since mid-October is now 46. There were 24 attacks in Iraq and 22 in Syria.
A total of 56 people were slightly injured. Everyone is now back on duty. “None of our soldiers were seriously injured,” Singh said. “And our infrastructure at the bases that were attacked did not suffer any significant damage. These attacks were largely unsuccessful.”
Security situation tense
The security situation in the entire region is tense because of the Gaza war, which began with the Islamist Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th. As a deterrent, the USA has, among other things, relocated additional weapons systems as well as warships and air force squadrons to the eastern Mediterranean and sent several hundred soldiers to the region. The Islamist Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip, is part of a number of militant groups that are supported by Iran in the region, including with weapons and financially.
Austin emphasized that it was a precision strike in self-defense in response to recent attacks against US forces in the region. US President Joe Biden ordered the action to make it clear that the United States was defending itself, its personnel and its interests. The USA is prepared to take further necessary measures to protect its own population and facilities. “We strongly advise against any escalation,” he warned.
Source: Stern
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