Pro-Iran militias attack US troops in Syria after air strikes
- US troops in eastern Syria come under rocket attack, but escape injury
- Came after US air strikes hit militia facilities on Syria-Iraq border
US forces “were attacked by multiple rockets” in eastern Syria, but there were no casualties and personnel “conducted counter-battery artillery fire at rocket launching positions”, said coalition spokesman Wayne Marotto on Twitter.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported shell fire by Iran-backed militias against the US base in eastern Syria’s Al-Omar oilfield, and said the coalition fired heavy artillery at the militia-controlled town of Al-Mayadeen in response.
The exchange of fire came just hours after Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that US air strikes on pro-Iran fighters in Iraq and Syria on Sunday night sent a “strong message” not to keep attacking US forces in Iraq.
“This action in self-defence … sends a very important and strong message,” Blinken told reporters on a visit to Rome.