The U.S. military launched an airstrike in Syria earlier this month targeting groups affiliated with an Iranian-backed militia in response to deadly missile strikes in northern Iraq, U.S. officials said.
The attack allegedly destroyed a series of small buildings used by militias to house and transport weapons. It was not immediately known how many victims were the result of the strike, but the official said the number of victims was likely minimal.
The airstrike was the first known case in which the Biden government had approved the use of military force against an opponent since he took office last month.
A series of missile attacks on Feb. 15 in Erbil, Iraq, killed a Filipino citizen who was a US contractor, while injuring a US serviceman and other contractors. Since then, the Biden government has been deliberating on a response.
President Biden mentioned the missile attacks on Tuesday in a telephone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. A White House statement afterwards said the two agreed and “that those responsible for such attacks should be held fully accountable.”
The strike, which occurred around 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, appeared to be the most reluctant response, according to two officials. The operation was scheduled over several days, officials said.
“The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect US and coalition personnel,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. “At the same time, we have acted in a deliberate manner aimed at de-escalating the overall situation in both Eastern Syria and Iraq.”
The attack was both defensive and offensive, another US official said, meaning it was in response to the attack on Erbil, while also targeting weapons used against US interests by Iranian-backed militias.
The government’s decision to launch the strike comes as the US tries to restart the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. While the government has said through its European allies that it would be willing to initiate talks, Iran has said the US must lift sanctions first.
The strike was observed all over the area. The security website Aurora Intel said in a tweet, “Three explosions have been reported in the vicinity of [Abu Kamal]Reports suggest a convoy of vehicles passed the crossing before the air raid was carried out, possible weapon movement if confirmed. ”
In the past year, Eastern Syria has been an area of intense military activity from Iranian-backed groups aimed at evading US influence in Northern Iraq, security experts said.
According to a well-known American intelligence agency in the region.
The arsenal was to be used as a deterrent against any attempt by the US to cut a logistics highway between Tehran and Damascus, the person said. It was also a way to open a new launch pad for possible attacks on US forces in Iraq, he said.
The thermal missiles were stored in an underground warehouse located at the headquarters of an Iranian militia and other locations in eastern Syria, the agent said. In addition, these bins house 10 Iranian-made Fajr-100 missiles and Russian medium-range missiles, he added.
Write to Gordon Lubold at [email protected], Nancy A. Youssef at [email protected] and Benoit Faucon at [email protected]
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