U.S. forces have struck another weapons storage facility in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced Thursday.
"This precision self-defense strike is a response to a series of attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by IRGC-Quds Force affiliates. The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests," Austin said in a statement.
A senior military official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity following the strike in Syria’s Deir el-Zour province, said the military was unclear on casualty numbers but had tracked "a couple" of individuals at the location of the strike shortly before it was launched. AFP is reporting that at least nine people were killed in the strike.
"I watched the engagement. I can tell you that we're pretty certain there were some secondary explosions that indicated that the facility was housing weapons that we believe were likely used in many of the strikes that are taking place against our forces," the senior military official said.
Austin added in his statement that the U.S. is fully prepared to take further measures to protect U.S. personnel and facilities, while urging against further escalation.
"We seek to convey a clear message to Iran that we hold it accountable for the attacks on U.S. forces, and we expect Iran to take measures to direct its proxies to stop," a senior defense official told reporters.
The precision strike happened hours after Iranian-backed Houthi rebels shot down a U.S. drone flying over the Red Sea.
The strike by two F-15 fighter jets marked the second time in as many weeks that U.S. forces have hit back at Iranian-backed groups. On Oct. 27, U.S. forces struck a weapons storage facility and an ammunition storage facility in eastern Syria used by Iran’s IRGC and affiliated groups. The military said there were no casualties in those early morning strikes.
Iranian-backed forces have targeted U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria at least 41 times in less than a month, according to U.S. defense officials. Most of these attacks were disrupted by the U.S. military or failed to reach their targets, causing no casualties or damage to infrastructure, the defense officials said.
The attacks have injured 46 U.S. military personnel, with injuries ranging from traumatic brain injuries to shrapnel or perforated eardrums.
"The idea that our men and women could be targeted, and that we’ve allowed almost 100 hits to happen under Biden’s watch is unthinkable," said Nikki Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, during Wednesday night’s NBC News-sponsored Republican presidential debate. "We shouldn’t be doing a tit-for-tat like Joe Biden has done."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, called U.S. service members in the Middle East "sitting ducks" under the current administration.
"I am not going to put troops in harm’s way unless you’re going to defend them with everything you have," DeSantis said. "He’s doing glancing blows. That’s just inviting more attacks from the Iranians."
The American injuries occurred during four attacks: a drone attack at al-Harir Air Base in Irbil, Iraq, where the drone crashed before exploding; two multidrone attacks at al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq, and a multidrone attack at al-Tanf garrison in Syria.
All the wounded personnel returned to duty following their injuries, Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder told reporters on Monday. However, two U.S. personnel who had been treated for traumatic brain injuries and originally returned to duty were subsequently sent to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for further examination "out of an abundance of caution," Ryder said.
One U.S. contractor at al-Asad Air Base in Iraq suffered a cardiac episode and died while sheltering in place during a false alarm of an air attack.
Nearly half of the attacks against American personnel came after U.S. forces carried out retaliatory strikes last month on a weapons storage facility and an ammunition facility in eastern Syria, which the Pentagon said were used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups.
The U.S. has increased its presence in the region to protect its forces and to deter malign actors, including Iran, its proxies the Houthis and Hezbollah, and others from expanding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
