US military says strikes in Syria targeted ‘Iran-backed groups’ | Conflict messages

U.S. Central Command said nine targets were hit in two locations in Syria in the past 24 hours in response to an attack on U.S. forces.

The US military has carried out strikes against targets in Syria, in what the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) described as a response to recent attacks on US forces by “Iran-allied targets” in the country.

CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement early Tuesday that the U.S. military action sends a “clear” message to Iranian-backed armed groups operating in Syria.

“Attacks against U.S. and coalition partners in the region will not be tolerated,” Kurilla said, describing attacks on U.S. military personnel in Syria in the last 24 hours as “reckless.”

“These strikes will impact the ability of Iranian-backed groups to plan and launch future attacks,” CENTCOM said, adding that the U.S. strikes hit nine targets in two locations.

The US has about 900 troops stationed in eastern Syria and another 2,500 in neighboring Iraq. Its stated mission is to advise and assist local forces struggling to prevent a resurgence of the group known as ISIL (ISIS), which spread across large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014 but was later embroiled in heavy fighting defeated.

No U.S. personnel were injured in the attacks, which CENTCOM said were carried out by Iranian-backed groups in the last 24 hours.

The U.S. military also did not say which armed groups were attacked in Syria or whether the attacks were likely to result in casualties.

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– US Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 11, 2024

The UK-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that four Syrian members of Iranian-backed armed groups were killed and 10 others seriously injured on Monday when “international coalition” warplanes attacked a “headquarters” in Al Mayadeen area in eastern Syria Deir Az Zor landscape.

Syrian state media reported earlier on Monday that the Israeli air force attacked an aid convoy in the area of ​​Shamsin, about 20 km (12 miles) from the border with Lebanon, prompting the closure of Syria’s main north-south highway Capital Damascus connects, forced, with the northern city of Aleppo.

There were no immediate reports of casualties and state television gave no details about the convoy that was attacked, although the area is known as a gathering point for refugees fleeing Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike also hit a residential building in the Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab, killing seven civilians, including women and children, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. Twenty others were injured in the attack, SANA said.

Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks in Syria in recent years but pays little heed to attacks on its neighbor that are said to target Iranian-backed armed groups that threaten Israel’s security.