Joshua Roberts/Reuters/File
The Pentagon seen from above in Washington on March 3, 2022.
CNN —
The Pentagon mentioned Wednesday that two American F-15 fighter jets carried out an airstrike on a weapons storage facility in jap Syria utilized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its associates.
“This precision self-defense strike is in response to a collection of assaults by the Revolutionary Guard and Quds Force associates in opposition to U.S. army personnel in Iraq and Syria,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin mentioned in a press release. “The President has directed in the present day’s motion to clarify that there is no such thing as a larger precedence than the security of American personnel, and that the United States will shield its nation, its personnel, and its pursuits.”
“The United States stays totally ready to take additional steps as needed to guard our individuals and amenities.” “We urge no escalation of any form.”
A senior army official mentioned Wednesday night time that the ability in Meysalun, Deir Ezzor, Syria, is believed to retailer weapons utilized in “most of the airstrikes carried out in opposition to our forces within the area.”
“We have been anticipating a while to be sure that once we assault the goal, we accomplish that in a well timed method that eliminates using the ability to the IRGC. I’m pretty sure that there have been some secondary explosions indicating that they contained weapons that have been possible utilized in most of the assaults that have been carried out in opposition to our forces right here. I can inform you, it’s native,” the official mentioned.
The official added that he was “very assured” that Wednesday’s assault “didn’t contain any civilian losses.”
The official mentioned the United States “really used the road of deconfliction” with Russia. The United States frequently consults with Russia relating to deconfliction traces relating to army operations in Syria.
The U.S. airstrikes are the second time the U.S. has struck amenities utilized by Iranian-backed teams, in response to near-daily assaults by Iranian proxies on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria. On October 26, a U.S. F-15 and two F-16s used precision-guided missiles to assault two amenities related to Iranian-backed militias in jap Syria.
01:01 – Source: CNN
Retired colonel talks about what message the US is sending to Iran with a primary strike
U.S. and coalition forces have been the goal of not less than 41 one-way drone and rocket assaults since October 17, the newest being a multi-rocket assault on U.S. and coalition forces in Shadadi, Syria. It’s an assault.
U.S. officers mentioned Wednesday’s assault brought on no casualties or injury to infrastructure.
More than 40 troopers suffered minor accidents, together with not less than 20 traumatic mind accidents, within the assault that preceded the Oct. 26 U.S. assault.
A senior protection official mentioned Wednesday’s assault was geared toward sending a “clear message to Iran that it will likely be held accountable for its assaults on U.S. forces,” including that the U.S. mentioned Iran would “take steps to instruct its proxies to stop and desist.” He mentioned he was trying ahead to that.
“Given the heightened tensions ensuing from the continued Israeli-Hamas battle, we’ve taken further steps to speak immediately with Iran, Iraq, Iranian-aligned organizations in Lebanon, and our regional companions.” mentioned a protection official. “Our goal is to clarify that our army actions don’t sign a change in our strategy to the Israeli-Hamas battle and we’ve no intention of escalating the battle within the area. Self-Defense and U.S. Military Personnel. Our dedication to conservation stays the identical.”
The US strike got here on the identical day that an American MQ-9 Reaper unmanned drone was shot down by the Iranian-backed Houthis off the coast of Yemen. U.S. Central Command is investigating the incident.
CNN beforehand reported that Iran is looking for to capitalize on regional backlash in opposition to US assist for Israel following the brutal Hamas assault on October 7, with Iranian-backed teams planning to step up assaults on US forces within the Middle East. It was reported that
Since October 7, the United States has made vital presences within the Middle East as a deterrent to the escalation of the battle between Israel and Hamas, and to assist army forces within the area, as US army assaults within the area have develop into more and more frequent. sending out firepower.
Among the deployed capabilities are two service strike teams, every using a number of thousand sailors and a number of other missile destroyers. Various plane together with F-15 and F-16 fighter jets. Approximately 1,200 troopers, together with these hooked up to Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries.
A senior protection official mentioned Wednesday that the United States had strengthened bases within the area, “including Patriot squadrons and rising defensive air patrols to discourage additional assaults and shield our forces.”
This story has been up to date with further particulars.