According to the US Department of Defense, the United States has destroyed multiple targets in eastern Syria, near the border with Iraq. According to medical and other sources in Syria, at least 17 people would have been killed in these attacks. There is no independent confirmation of this. It is also not clear if they will be only militiamen.
The American operation is an act of retaliation for those militia attacks on American forces in the region. The militia targets that were destroyed are said to have been used to carry out these attacks on American targets. Ten days ago, an American soldier was wounded in one of those attacks in Iraq. The United States also says that these militias are backed by Iran. Iran denies any involvement.
The Eastern Syria operation is the first US operation since Joe Biden became president. It is, according to the Department of Defense, a message from Biden that he will act to protect American and coalition forces.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was sure we had “hit the right target.” We are also sure that the target was used by those same Shiite militias that carried out the attacks.
Iran and Russia condemn the US attacks. “We call for unconditional respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria,” the Russian Foreign Ministry responded.
Watch the initial response from US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin here:
