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US bases in Syria targeted in airstrikes
Multiple American bases in Syria were targeted by a wave of drone attacks on Friday, just a day after the United States military conducted retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian-backed groups in the country.
The US had carried out the airstrikes in response to a one-way explosive drone attack that targeted a US base in eastern Syria, earlier this week, killing a US contractor and injuring six others, including five US service members. The US had assessed the drone that was used in the attack as Iranian in origin.
On Friday, a total of three separate drone attacks were reported on American bases in Syria. Green Village and Mission Support Site Conoco, both in the eastern Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor, were targeted on Friday night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two American military bases in eastern Syria were targeted a day after the US retaliated to earlier attacks with air strikes on Iran-backed armed groups in the region<br><br> <a href="https://t.co/iX0GjiXLNF">https://t.co/iX0GjiXLNF</a></p>— The National (@TheNationalNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNationalNews/status/1639564786857033728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While no casualties were reported, the attacks were seen as a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the US and Iranian-backed groups in the country.
Following the incident, the US Central Command immediately issued a statement:
“The attack resulted in no injuries to US or coalition personnel and no damage to equipment or facilities. One of the rockets missed the facility by almost five kilometers, striking a civilian house, causing significant damage and causing minor injuries to two women and two children.”
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According to the Pentagon, there have been about 80 attacks on American bases in Syria since the beginning of 2021. These attacks have mostly been carried out by Iranian-backed groups, with the use of drones becoming increasingly common in recent months.
In response to the latest attacks, the US issued a statement saying that it had carried out precision airstrikes against facilities used by Iranian-backed groups in Syria. The airstrikes were authorized by President Joe Biden and carried out by two US Air Force F-15 fighter aircraft.
The targets hit in the airstrikes were said to be affiliated with Iranian-backed groups and housed drones and vehicles. The US said that the strikes were intended to protect and defend American personnel and limit the risk of escalation and minimize casualties.
U.S. intelligence officials have assessed that the drone used in Thursday’s attack was of Iranian origin. Iran has previously used such drones in attacks on Saudi Arabia and in Yemen, but this technology has become more noticeable after it provided hundreds of Shahed drones to Russia that have been used in attacks against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure targets.
In response to the attack, President Joe Biden authorized U.S. Central Command forces to conduct precision airstrikes in eastern Syria against facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Two U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter aircraft carried out the strikes, hitting two targets affiliated with Iranian-backed groups that housed drones and vehicles.
US officials have made it clear that they are not seeking a conflict with Iran but are prepared to act forcefully to protect American personnel and facilities. The US has around 900 troops in eastern Syria, helping Syrian Kurdish forces in preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State.
Following the latest drone attacks, US Central Command leader Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla said in a statement that the US “will always take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing.” He added that US troops remained in Syria to ensure the defeat of ISIS, which benefits the security and stability of not only Syria but the entire region.
The conflict between the US and Iranian-backed groups in Syria is likely to continue, with the use of drones becoming an increasingly common tactic. While the US has made it clear that it does not seek a conflict with Iran, it remains committed to defending its personnel and facilities in the region.
