US Military strikes Iran-backed militia facility in Syria
The US military has struck Syria for a second day in an attempt to target Iranian-aligned militia groups, reported Asharq Al-Awsat on November 12th.
US Central Command said the strikes were a response to further attacks on US personnel in the region.
During the second day, the US military hit a weapons storage and logistics facility after militia groups launched a rocket attack at Patrol Base Shaddadi in Eastern Syria.
Not widely reported is the fact that there are US bases still in Syria, with about 900 US personnel currently deployed.
According to Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, over the weekend militias had targeted US troops via a drone attack and indirect fires at another base, Green Village.
This prompted the first US strike on nine militia targets on November 11th.
No US troops were injured in either attack.
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The exchange comes after the US hit what was reported as “ISIS” groups in Syria at the start of October.
According to Levantis.me, US Central Command said the strikes would “disrupt the extremists from conducting attacks in the region and beyond”.
ISIS can be broadly divided into two groups in Syria – those that fight against the West and others who have allied to combat Iran, Syrian and Hezbollah groups.
The US troops in Syria are also supported by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which is predominately PKK.
The strikes undoubtedly helped the Kurds but the timing is odd, leading some analysts to speculate that President Biden wanted to remind all groups in Syria and Iraq of America’s air superiority.
Asharq Al-Awsat and Levantis.me
