US Denies Allegations Of Syria Air Strikes
The United States refuted Iranian and Syrian claims of conducting dawn airstrikes in Syria after an attack which saw the deaths of seven soldiers and a Revolutionary Guards member.
The United States refuted Iranian and Syrian claims of conducting dawn airstrikes in Syria after an attack which saw the deaths of seven soldiers and a Revolutionary Guards member.
Syrian state news agency SANA blamed "US occupation aggression" for the attack while Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh categorically stated the US "did not carry out airstrikes in Syria last night," addressing reporters in Washington.
Syrian state media said a civilian was also killed and at least 19 other soldiers and 13 civilians were wounded in strikes on residential areas and military sites in Deir al Zor province, with significant damage to public and private properties.
Iranian state media said a Revolutionary Guards adviser was killed in the airstrikes, without giving his rank.
Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, alleging US actions mirrored Israeli aggression and aimed to destabilize the region.
Syria is a hub for Iranian militias which have a strong presence in Syria's eastern province of Deir el-Zour near the Iraqi border where Tehran has expanded its military presence. Iranian-backed forces in eastern Syria have also carried out numerous attacks on US facilities in the remote area.
Last month, US retaliatory strikes killed 29 pro-Iran fighters in the Deir el-Zour and Mayadeen areas after a deadly drone strike resulted in the death of three US troops in Jordan.
Iran claims its officers operate in Syria in an advisory capacity, having been invited by Damascus to aid President Bashar al-Assad in countering both internal and external threats. The support extends to the decade-long civil war, during which opposition forces unsuccessfully sought to overthrow Assad.
Israel too has conducted strikes against Iranian positions in the country in addition to the likes of ports and airports in a bid to stop the flow of weapons into the country from Iran, smuggling into proxies around the region.
