U.S. Department of Defense Announces Retaliatory Precision Airstrikes in Response to Attack on Coalition Base in Syria

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced that President Biden has authorized precision airstrikes against facilities in eastern Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The decision was made in response to an attack on a coalition base in northeast Syria on Thursday, which resulted in the death of one U.S. contractor and the injury of five U.S. service members and one other U.S. contractor.

In a statement released late Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the airstrikes were conducted in response to the attack, as well as a series of recent attacks against Coalition forces in Syria by groups affiliated with the IRGC. The drone strike happened on a Coalition base near Hasakah at approximately 1:38 p.m. local time, the statement said.

The U.S. Central Command forces retaliated with “precision airstrikes” against the facilities in eastern Syria. The statement did not specify the exact location of the airstrikes, but said they were conducted in response to the attack and other recent attacks against Coalition forces in Syria.

The Department of Defense said it is still assessing the damage caused by the airstrikes. It also said it is working to identify the perpetrators of the attack and will take appropriate action to deter further attacks.

The Department of Defense said it is committed to protecting U.S. personnel and facilities in the region and will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure their safety.