Posted on 03/24/2023 7:08:46 AM PDT by Red Badger
A U.S. base in Syria’s Al Omar region came under attack Friday after the U.S. conducted retaliatory airstrikes on an Iran-backed group, Reuters reported, citing a security source and local media.
The Department of Defense (DOD) confirmed late Thursday that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted precision airstrikes against facilities in Syria used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s paramilitary group. It remains unclear whether Friday’s attack was related to the retaliatory U.S. strike or conducted by the same group or incurred any casualties, according to Reuters.
The attack Friday took place at 11 a.m., a security source told Reuters.
“We will always take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” CENTCOM Commander Gen. Erik Kurilla stated after the retaliatory U.S. strikes on Iran-backed militia. “We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks.”
A drone struck a maintenance facility at a base in northeast Syria used jointly by the American military and local partner forces, killing one American contractor and wounding five U.S. servicemembers as well as another contractor, DOD saidin a statement. The U.S. intelligence community assessed the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) originated in Iran.
President Joe Biden authorized “proportionate” action in response to Thursday’s attack as well as a series of recent attacks against the U.S. and coalition partners in the area, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in the statement.
Biden’s response was intended to minimize casualties and clamp down on potential for escalation, the statement said.
Iran-backed groups, including the IRCG, have conducted offensive actions against the U.S. 78 times since 2021, Kurilla said, according to Reuters.
“The Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago … it has the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Middle East … and the largest and most capable UAV force,” Kurilla told a congressional committee Thursday.
The roughly 900 U.S. forces have continued to strike at ISIS forces persisting in Syria, usually in concert with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
CENTCOM did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Sure am glad we’re not engaged in nation-building over there. /s
Because that always works.
Plus Somalia, plus Libya, plus Yemen, plus Pakistan-India,......................................
We shouldn’t have a base there
Wow. It’s almost like those 700 American bases, all over the world, are vulnerable to attacks by proxy forces armed with high tech weapons...
Fighting to win or break even?
Wouldn’t it be enough to just let people in that region kill each other? I am so past wasting blood and treasure on places where we have no national interests. If you’re afraid of terrorists then control our board and stop immigration from Muslim dominated nations.
“We shouldn’t have a base there”
Agreed. No reason for our troops to be killed for someone else’s national security.
But their economy is supposed to be in shambles. Where did they get the money for all those weapons?
For some to profit.
The Pentagram er Pentagon is ready for fighting a five front war....
Russia, China, Iran/middle east and two countries to be named later....
We must save the world for perverts—it is our destiny, comrades!
Unclear to who?
It is unconscionable that our military would not have ID'd these threats and neutralized them already.
I am not that concerned with ISIS attacking the US. I would think we would be just about done fighting in the Middle East. I mean...its not like we need their oil or anything.
Trump wanted out, but his Military and Intel team LIED to him.
Deep state "believes" it needs to keep Russia from having access to a Mediterranian port so Biden can use that if he is still alive in 2024 for his reelection run. Do you want your 20 year old son in Syria?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.