A military outpost in southern Syria used by US troops and its allies came under attack on Wednesday, a week after pro-Iran militias came under attack. vowed to take revenge For an alleged Israeli-American attack near Palmyra.
A US official said that no US soldiers stationed at the al-Tanf base near Syria’s borders with Iraq and Jordan were injured or killed.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights War Monitor said several explosions were heard from the base.
“Blasts were heard from the al-Tanf base used by the US-led coalition,” the monitor said.
The US official said the attack appeared to have involved at least one drone strike and possibly ground shelling. It is not yet clear who carried out the attack.
“We are not aware of any casualties,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
The official said it was not known whether local forces were injured or killed in the attack.
On 14 October, pro-Iranian militias in Syria vowed a “very harsh” response to an alleged Israeli-American attack against their facilities near the city of Palmyra in central Syria, which they said killed several of their members and injured.
In a statement, the groups – referring to themselves collectively as the “Syria Allied Operations Room” – said the attack was carried out through Jordan and the area of al-Tanf.
During the information of the IDF airstrike around Palmyra on 13 October 2021, #Syria The “Qatari Royal Villa” was hit, several structures were targeted. earlier in the year #IRGC Allied Fatimid militants were photographed there, believed to be a military base. pic.twitter.com/og7NsMHQxZ
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) October 20, 2021
The base is located on a road that serves as a vital link for Iranian-backed forces from Tehran to southern Lebanon and Israel. Israeli officials see the presence of US troops as a key element in thwarting Iranian arms smuggling efforts in Lebanon and Syria.
Neither Israel nor the US has admitted to carrying out the attack near Palmyra. Israel, as a rule, does not comment on specific attacks carried out in Syria, but generally acknowledges that it is using Iran-linked groups in the country to prevent advanced weapons transfers and strikes against Israel. campaigns against. Syria.
Al Tanf was founded in 2016 as part of the fight against the IS group. US and coalition forces are based there to train local Syrian opposition forces on patrol to counter Islamic State militants.
Damascus and its allies have repeatedly said that American troops had no reason to stay there.
