It’s just being reported that the US is carrying out airstrikes in eastern Syria against Iranian proxies that have now attacked them 41 times.
Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin said the airstrikes were carried out moments ago and the suggestion is that they are apparently more widespread than our defensive attack before.
Here’s the reporting:
BREAKING US military just carried out airstrikes in eastern Syria: US military source. MORE
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 8, 2023
BREAKING: Iranian backed proxies likely target of US airstrikes moments ago in Eastern Syria. Strikes follow 41 confirmed attacks on U.S. troops and bases since Oct 17 and the downing of an MQ9 Reaper by Houthi forces in Yemen. The US Reaper was flying over the Red Sea. https://t.co/bDks91LJkN
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 8, 2023
The first time the US responded in Syria was October 26 and Biden’s SecDef said they were “self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups.” It will be interesting to see what they say about the airstrikes.
UPDATE: This report says the airstrikes were ‘unprecedented’:
#Breaking: Reports of massive American airstrikes targeting Iran-backed terrorists in the Deir Ez Zor region of Syria.
Local sources describe the amount and ferocity of the strikes as “unprecedented.”
These strikes come after 50+ recent incidents of American troops coming under…
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 8, 2023
UPDATE 2: Here’s more from Griffin:
2 US F15s carried out airstrikes on IRGC and Iranian proxy facility in E Syria in response to 41 attacks on U.S. bases since Oct 17. Defense Secretary Austin said the target was a weapons storage facility, adding the U.S. military will take further action if attacks continue.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) November 8, 2023
UPDATE 3: Here’s the full statement from Biden’s SecDef:
US STRIKES BACK
Per SecDef: "Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted a self-defense strike on a facility in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups…
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) November 8, 2023
…This strike was conducted by two U.S. F-15s against a weapons storage facility. 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…
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) November 8, 2023
…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…
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) November 8, 2023
…The United States is fully prepared to take further necessary measures to protect our people and our facilities. We urge against any escalation. U.S. personnel will continue to conduct counter-ISIS missions in Iraq and Syria."
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) November 8, 2023
UPDATE 4: It’s being reported that 9 were killed in the US airstrikes in northeast Syria:
المرصد: 9 قتلى في غارة أميركية على منشأة عسكرية في سوريا مرتبطة بإيران #العربية_عاجل
— العربية عاجل (@AlArabiya_Brk) November 8, 2023
Translation: “Observatory: 9 killed in an American raid on a military facility in Syria linked to Iran”
BREAKING: 9 killed in US strikes on Iran-linked site in Syria: monitor https://t.co/IWLXhilyDZ
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 8, 2023