Suspected US airstrikes
Several deaths and serious explosions in northeast Syria
December 30, 2023, 7:25 p.m
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Since the Hamas massacre in Israel and Israel’s subsequent campaign against the terrorists, attacks on US soldiers in the region have also increased. The USA is now attacking Islamists from the air in northeastern Syria.
In Syria, ten pro-Iranian fighters are said to have been killed by US air strikes in Deir Essor province. Among them were three Syrians, reported the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Accordingly, more than 30 people were injured in the at least nine “probably” US-led air strikes on positions in and around the city of Bukamal.
The attacks also targeted a weapons shipment from Iraq and an ammunition depot. The observation center reported serious explosions. The London-based organization sources its information from a network of sources in Syria. Your information is often difficult to verify independently. Tehran-backed Shiite Hezbollah said four of its fighters had been killed. The Islamist militia has not yet provided any further details.
Since the Hamas massacre on October 7 and Israel’s subsequent attacks on terrorist positions in the Gaza Strip, attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria have also increased sharply. According to US figures, there have been more than 100 such attacks since mid-October.
2,500 US soldiers in Iraq, 900 in Syria
The attacks in Iraq were mostly claimed by the Islamic Resistance, a loose association of armed groups linked to the pro-Iranian Hashed al-Shaabi network. The Islamic Resistance condemns US support for Israel in the war against Hamas.
Around 2,500 US soldiers are stationed in Iraq and 900 in Syria. The US-led military coalition in these countries is intended to help prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist militia.
US ally Israel has also intensified its air strikes in Syria since the Hamas attack on October 7th. According to the Syrian Defense Ministry and Syrian state media, an Israeli attack on Thursday targeted the capital Damascus. Israel confirmed attacks on Syria and said rockets had previously been fired from Syria at Israel.
In general, Israel hardly comments on individual attacks in Syria. But it repeatedly emphasizes that it will not allow its arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria. Tehran is allied with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has shelled the neighboring country hundreds of times from the air. The attacks are particularly directed against pro-Iranian Hezbollah, but also against positions of the Syrian army.