The Pentagon said the offensive was a response to a series of attacks on US military bases in Iraq and Syria
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a statement on Thursday evening (October 26, 2023) saying that the US had bombed two Syrian targets. According to the text, the attacks were ordered by US President Joe Biden. Here you can find the full statement in English (PDF 59 kB).
“Under President Biden’s direction, U.S. forces conducted selfdefense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups,” the note said.
According to the Pentagon, the bombings were “in response to a series of sustained and mostly unsuccessful attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranianbacked militia groups that began on October 17.”
Austin said: “The US does not seek conflict and has no intention or desire to reengage in hostilities, but these Iranianbacked attacks on US forces are unacceptable and must stop.” According to him, the country will take further action, if the attacks continue.
The US maintains around 3,000 troops at military sites in Syria and Iraq with the aim of stopping the resurgence of the Islamic State. Although the bombings are not related to the war between Israel and Hamas, they contribute to increasing tensions in the Middle East.
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Read the Pentagon’s full statement:
“Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on U.S. military strikes in eastern Syria
“Today, at the direction of President Biden, U.S. forces conducted selfdefense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups. These precision selfdefense strikes are in response to a series of sustained and largely unsuccessful attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranbacked militia groups that began on October 17. As a result of these attacks, a US citizen suffered a heart attack while on site; 21 US personnel suffered minor injuries, but all have now returned to duty. The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he has ordered today’s actions [26.out] to make it clear that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its people and its interests.
“The United States does not seek conflict and has no intention or desire to reengage in hostilities, but these Iranianbacked attacks on U.S. forces are unacceptable and must stop.” Iran wants to hide its involvement and role in these attacks deny against our armed forces. We won’t leave them. If attacks by Iranian proxies on U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take additional necessary steps to protect our people.
“These strictly planned selfdefense attacks were intended solely to protect and defend U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. They are independent of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and do not represent a change in our approach to the IsraelHamas conflict. We continue to call on all governmental and nongovernmental entities to refrain from taking actions that could escalate into a larger regional conflict. “