A version of this story appeared in the Threat Status newsletter from The Washington Times. Click here to receive Threat Status delivered directly to your inbox each Wednesday.
American forces late Thursday struck two targets in eastern Syria used by the Iranian military and its affiliated militias, the Pentagon said, while warning Tehran that the U.S. “will not hesitate to take further necessary measures” if its troops keep coming under fire in the region.
The retaliatory airstrikes came on the heels of a string of attacks against American bases in both Syria and neighboring Iraq over the past several weeks. The Pentagon did not name the specific militias it targeted, but the Iran-backed groups Kata’ib Hezbollah and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada have over the past few years been responsible for most attacks against American forces in the region.
The most recent attacks wounded 21 U.S. service members and led to one American contractor dying from a cardiac incident while sheltering in place. All of the wounded service members have since returned to duty.
In a statement Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the two targets in Syria are used by both the militias and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. Mr. Austin said that President Biden ordered the strikes “to make clear that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests.”
“The United States does not seek conflict and has no intention nor desire to engage in further hostilities, but these Iranian-backed attacks against U.S. forces are unacceptable and must stop,” Mr. Austin said. “Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not let them. If attacks by Iran’s proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people.”
The U.S.-Iran tensions come against the backdrop of Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s campaign to eliminate Hamas was sparked by an Oct. 7 terrorist attack during which Hamas militants killed more than 1,400 Israelis and took over 200 hostages.
Iran has praised the attack and called for the Muslim world to rise up against Israel. Iran is also one of Hamas’ primary financial backers, and suspicions have swirled about whether Tehran may have helped plan and coordinate the attack. U.S. officials have said they’ve seen no evidence of that so far.
But there are growing fears that Iran or its affiliates could seek to escalate the conflict. The Lebanon-based group Hezbollah, also financially backed by Iran, is of greatest concern given its large fighting force and military capabilities. The U.S. and Israel have warned Hezbollah not to enter the fight.
Other groups linked to Iran also seem to be eyeing escalation. In addition to the militias’ attacks on American troops, U.S. warships last week shot down several missiles and drones believed to have been fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthis are supported by Iran.
The missiles and drones likely were targeting Israel, U.S. officials said.
In his statement, Mr. Austin tried to distance the U.S. strikes on Iran-backed militias from the Israel-Hamas war.
“These narrowly tailored strikes in self-defense were intended solely to protect and defend U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria,” he said. “They are separate and distinct from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and do not constitute a shift in our approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict. We continue to urge all state and non-state entities not to take action that would escalate into a broader regional conflict.”
The U.S. has about 900 troops stationed in Syria. After the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the Pentagon has surged new assets to the Middle East. Last week, Mr. Austin said the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group will sail to the Persian Gulf.
The Eisenhower will be the second U.S. carrier strike group in the Middle East. The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is already in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The addition of the Eisenhower, Mr. Austin said, will bolster American military capabilities in the theater.
In addition to the Eisenhower strike group, the Pentagon sent a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, battery to the region, along with Patriot missile defense battalions. Thousands of troops are also on “prepare to deploy” orders and could be dispatched to the Middle East quickly.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.