The U.S. strikes Iran linked sites in Syria following attacks on U.S. troops
The U.S. Response to the Oct. 7 Hamas Attack on Israel: Implications for the Security and Security of the Middle East
The US launched two airstrikes against facilities used by Iran and its allies in eastern Syria early Friday in response to a string of attacks against American forces in Iraq and Syria.
The U.S. strikes show the determination of the Biden adminstration to maintain a delicate balance. The U.S. wants to hit Iranian-backed groups suspected of targeting the U.S. as strongly as possible to deter future aggression, possibly fueled by Israel’s war against Hamas, while also working to avoid inflaming the region and provoking a wider conflict.
Iran is trying to hide its participation in these attacks against our forces, said Mr. Austin. “We will not let them. If attacks by Iran’s proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people.”
The Biden administration has not accused Iran of having a direct role in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and has said it appears so far that Tehran was not aware of it beforehand. But the U.S. has noted that Iran has long supported Hamas and has raised concerns that Iran and its proxies could turn the conflict into a wider war.
The Pentagon is beefing up Air Defenses in the Middle East – Multiple U.S. Base Attacks on Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17
The Pentagon, meanwhile, has beefed up air defenses in the region to protect U.S. forces. The U.S. is sending THAAD batteries, a few batteries of the Patriot missile systems and more fighter jets.
There have been multiple attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria since October 17, according to the Pentagon. A military man is in the Air Force. Gen. Pat Ryder said 21 U.S. personnel were injured in two of those assaults that used drones to target al-Asad Airbase in Iraq and al-Tanf Garrison in Syria.
“We will respond if Tehran keeps moving against us in the Middle East,” Biden said.
The strikes on Friday were in response to the Pentagon revealing that 19 U.S. military members based in Iraq and Syria have suffered brain injuries after drone and rocket attacks from Iran.
The Department of Defense said before that 21 people had minor injuries but were back to work after the attacks in Iraq and Syria.
Since Oct. 17, Iran-backed militia have carried out at least 12 rocket or one-way attack drone strikes against U.S. troops in Iraq and at least four attacks in Syria, Brig. The Pentagon spokesman is Gen. Patrick S. Ryder. There are 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria, mainly helping local allies conduct counterterrorism missions against the Islamic State.
In March of this year, American intelligence agencies concluded that an Iranian-made, self-destructing drone attacked a coalition base in northeast Syria, killing a U.S. contractor and injuring other contractors and service members.
U.S. Response to Hamas Attacks and the Israel-Israel War on Gaza, as Declared by Pentagon Deputy Administrator General Ryder
“As we’ve seen in the past, there are situations where several days after an attack, a member may self-report ringing in the ears, headaches,” said General Ryder, who said there have been no other diagnoses of traumatic brain injury since then.
The strikes came as no surprise. Officials at the Pentagon and the White House have made it clear for the past week that the U.S. would respond, with Ryder saying again Thursday that it would be “at the time and place of our choosing.”
The recent attacks in Syria and Iraq are not tied to the current violence in Gaza, but Iran criticized the U.S. for providing weapons that were used to strike the Palestinian territory.
The death of a Palestinian in a hospital explosion triggered protests in many Muslim nations and led to the latest series of strikes by Iranian-linked groups. The Israeli military has relentlessly attacked Gaza in retaliation for the devastating Hamas rampage in southern Israel nearly three weeks ago, but Israel has denied responsibility for the al-Ahli hospital blast and the U.S. has said its intelligence assessment found that Tel Aviv was not to blame.
He said that the Pentagon will take all necessary measures to protect the forces and interests of the United States.
According to the Pentagon, all the U.S. personnel hurt in the militant attacks received minor injuries and all returned to duty. In addition, a contractor suffered a cardiac arrest and died while seeking shelter from a possible drone attack.
The Response to the Islamic State Group and the U.S. Military on the Iraq-Iraq Cross-Section: a Senior Defense Official
The IRGC stores the types of weapons used in the strikes against U.S. bases, according to a senior defense official. Two officials briefed reporters after the strikes on condition of anonymity to talk about the mission that has not been made public.
The senior U.S. military official said that two F16 fighter jets carried out precision strikes on weapons and storage areas near the border of Iran and Iraq. The official said there had been Iranian-aligned militia and IRGC personnel on the base and no civilians, but the U.S. does not have any information yet on casualties or an assessment of damage. The official would not say how many munitions were launched by the F-16s.
The response to the Islamic State group will be proportional and intended to deter strikes against US personnel who are focused on the fight.
The THAAD is being sent from Fort Bliss, Texas and the batteries for it will be from Fort Liberty in North Carolina. Fort Liberty is sending an Avenger air defense system.
Officials have said as much as two battalions of Patriots are being deployed. A battalion can include at least three Patriot batteries, which each have six to eight launchers.
A spokesman for the US army said Thursday there are about 900 troops deployed or in the process of going to the Middle East.
