NEW DELHI: The US has, in retaliation to attacks on its forces, launched strikes against two locations in eastern Syria that are linked to Iran on Friday. The sites were used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and organisations it supports, the Pentagon stated.
This came in retaliation for a series of assaults against US forces in both Iraq and Syria. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement said, “Today, US military forces conducted self-defence strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups. These precision self-defence strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against USpersonnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17.”
“To make clear that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,” he said, indicating that President Joe Biden had ordered the targeted strikes. Furthermore, he mentioned that the operation had nothing to do with Israel’s conflict with Hamas, American news agency Associated Press reported.
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The US is trying to strike a balance by carrying out this strike in the backdrop of Israel-Hamas conflict that started on October 10 after Palestinian militant group Hamas’ incursion in the land of Israel.
As per the AP report, in response to organisations it believes are targeting the nation and have Iranian support, the US wishes to take the strongest possible action. It also wants to avoid making things worse and igniting a bigger dispute.
Lloyd Austin added, “As a result of these attacks, one US citizen contractor died from a cardiac incident while sheltering in place; 21 US personnel suffered from minor injuries, but all have since returned to duty.”
According to the Pentagon since October 17, there have been at least 12 strikes on US military installations and personnel in Iraq and four in Syria. Twenty-one US servicemen were injured in two of those drone assaults that targeted al-Asad Airbase in Iraq and al-Tanf Garrison in Syria, according to Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.
