US forces attack Iran-backed targets in Syria: US military

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US forces carried out strikes on Monday against nine targets linked to Iran-backed groups in Syria in response to attacks on Washington’s troops in that country, the US military said.

“These attacks will impair the ability of Iranian-backed groups to plan and launch future attacks on US and coalition forces,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media, referring to the international coalition against Islamic State (IS) jihadists. group.

CENTCOM did not say which groups were targeted or if they are believed to have resulted in casualties.

But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said the strikes killed four members of groups loyal to Iran.

The US military has about 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the anti-IS coalition established in 2014 to help fight the jihadists.

Since war broke out in the Gaza Strip after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, pro-Iranian groups have repeatedly targeted US forces in Iraq and Syria in response to Washington’s support for Israel.

The United States has repeatedly responded to such attacks with attacks on Iran-backed groups.

wd/dw