The Pentagon announced on Aug. 23 that it had conducted targeted airstrikes on Iran-backed militia in Syria in order to “protect U.S. forces” in the Middle Eastern country.
Officials said the precision airstrikes on Tuesday were ordered by President Joe Biden and conducted in Deir ez-Zor, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields.
The airstrikes were necessary in order to “defend and protect U.S. forces from attacks like the ones on August 15 against U.S. personnel by Iran-backed groups,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
That attack saw multiple unidentified drones allegedly launched by Iranian-backed militias target the al-Tanf Garrison, which is situated far in southern Syria near the three-way border with Jordan and Iraq and is used by American forces. At the time, U.S. Central Command said the assault had caused “zero casualties and no damage.”…