The US Army's Central Command has announced that following a series of attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria, its forces have executed an airstrike on a facility in Syria that was being used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and their affiliated groups.
The announcement, made on Wednesday evening, highlighted that the Central Command will take all necessary steps to safeguard its personnel against those who are responsible for these attacks. It also indicated that the response to such attacks would be at a time and place of their choosing, indicating a strategic approach to dealing with such threats.
⚡️ #BREAKING Video: Israel's aggression targeting farms extending between the towns of Aqraba and Sayyida Zeinab, south of the capital, Damascus. pic.twitter.com/X6M0mToYLL
— Atseez Abbasi (@AtseezA) November 8, 2023
Reports from earlier in the day, from Syrian sources associated with the Syrian opposition, reported an attack on the pro-Iranian militias' sites in the city of Deir ez-Zor. The reports further detailed that nine militiamen were killed in the attack. In contrast, the pro-Iranian news outlet, al-Mayadeen, reported that a warehouse and a bakery in the city had been attacked. It's worth noting that since the war against Hamas in Gaza began, the pro-Iranian militias have started to carry out operations against American bases in Syria and Iraq, utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
This comes as Syrian media reported on Wednesday evening about three explosions in the Damascus area and the activation of defense systems in the area. The Syrian army stated that around 10:50 PM, Israel carried out an air attack from the direction of Lebanon against several military targets in the country's southern region, which resulted in considerable damage.
Syrian opposition groups confirmed that three militants from the pro-Iranian militias were killed in an attack on sites belonging to Hezbollah in Syria. They further stated that the attack also targeted the anti-aircraft batteries of the Assad army, suggesting a message for Hezbollah; according to the Assad regime, the Israeli Air Force passed over Lebanon to carry out the attack on Syria.
Following a series of attacks against U.S. persons in Iraq and Syria, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces conducted an air strike against a facility in Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups. We will take all necessary measures to… pic.twitter.com/KoLGWbnaxo
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 8, 2023
Since the beginning of the war, Israel has escalated its attacks against the Iranian militias in Syria, who have moved closer to the border in the Golan Heights area. A report from Bloomberg reveals that alongside the increase in Israeli attacks in Syria, there has been a significant shift in Jerusalem's policy. Israel no longer informs Russia, Syria's patron, in advance about its attacks in the country through their coordination mechanism. According to sources familiar with the situation, this change in policy, along with the IDF's increased aggression in Syria, has further strained the already tense relations between Israel and Russia.
