US air strike against Iran-backed forces in Syria
The US military has carried out another airstrike in eastern Syria in response to the recent attacks by pro-Iranian militias.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that the target was a weapons depot used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and their allies. The USA had already carried out airstrikes against two similar targets in eastern Syria at the end of October. This exacerbates concerns that the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas could escalate into a major conflict.
Attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria have increased in recent weeks. According to the Pentagon, pro-Iranian militias have attacked US military bases in at least 40 cases since mid-October - 22 times in Iraq and 18 times in Syria. The attacks with drones and missiles have not been successful and there have been "no serious injuries" to US soldiers.
Tense security situation
The security situation in the entire region is tense due to the Gaza war, which began with the attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas on October 7. As a deterrent, the USA has deployed additional weapons systems, warships and air force squadrons to the eastern Mediterranean and sent several hundred soldiers to the region. The Islamist Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, is part of a series of militant groups that are supported by Iran in the region with weapons, among other things, but also 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 had 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.
The escalating conflicts in the region, with recent attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria, have led to increased tensions. In response, US President Joe Biden ordered a military strike against a weapons depot used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and their allies, as announced by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Source: www.dpa.com
