Two US Fighter Jets Strike Syrian Weapons and Ammunition Facilities in Retaliation
October 27, 2022
In a swift response to recent attacks on US forces by Iranian-backed militias, two US fighter jets carried out airstrikes on weapons and ammunition facilities in Syria early Friday morning. The strikes, which were authorized by US President Joe Biden, targeted facilities used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and its militia proxies.
The decision to retaliate comes as concerns grow over the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, particularly due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Iran has been providing support to various groups, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, further raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Over the past week, US and coalition troops in Iraq and Syria have been targeted by Iran-backed forces in at least 19 attacks. In response, President Biden sent a rare message to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning against further attacks on US personnel in the region.
“These Iranian-backed attacks against US forces are unacceptable and must stop,” stated US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He further emphasized that the US would take additional measures if the attacks persisted.
The airstrikes, carried out at approximately 4:30 a.m. near Abu Kamal, a Syrian town on the border with Iraq, were executed by two F-16 fighter jets using precision munitions. The strikes were described as “precision self-defense strikes” in response to the ongoing attacks against US personnel.
The US has also called on Iran to “take very specific actions” and instruct its proxy forces to stand down. However, the airstrikes were not coordinated with Israel, according to a US defense official.
Meanwhile, in the Israel-Hamas conflict, Israel stated that their military raids into Gaza were preparing for the next stage of the operation. There are concerns that a ground invasion of the Palestinian enclave could lead to a wider Middle East conflict.
According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry, over 7,000 Palestinians have been killed in the retaliatory airstrikes, including 2,913 children. These figures have not been independently verified by Reuters.
In a related incident, a missile launched during the Hamas-Israel fighting struck a medical facility in Taba, an Egyptian resort town located approximately 220 km from the Gaza Strip. At least six people were injured, but further details and confirmation are awaited.
As the situation intensifies, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen, prompting a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire to be presented to the United Nations General Assembly on Friday. The resolution was submitted by Arab states and, unlike in the Security Council, does not face a veto. While non-binding, such resolutions hold political weight.
In response to the escalating conflict and the risk of a wider regional war, the United States has deployed additional troops and warships to the Middle East. The Pentagon announced that approximately 900 more troops have arrived or are heading to the region to strengthen air defenses for US personnel.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Israel has “no interest in expanding the war” and has no intention of confronting Iran directly. However, many governments remain concerned about the potential for a larger scale conflict if the situation in Gaza worsens or if Israel mounts a ground invasion.
The region remains on high alert as tensions continue to rise, and efforts to de-escalate the situation are urgently needed to prevent further bloodshed and instability.
(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Tala Ramadan, Emily Rose, Adam Makary, Jeff Mason, Phil Stewart, Michelle Nichols, Gabriela Baczynska, and Andrew Gray; Writing by Grant McCool and Michael Perry; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Simon Cameron-Moore, and Raju Gopalakrishnan)