The United States conducted nine airstrikes on Iranian-backed targets in Syria on Monday, CENTCOM announced.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 11, 2024
The strikes were in response to attacks on US personnel over the past 24 hours, CENTCOM reported. The strikes were said to have reduced the terror group's capacity to launch further attacks.
"Our message is clear. Attacks against US and coalition partners in the region will not be tolerated," CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said. "We will continue to take every step necessary to protect our personnel and coalition partners and respond to reckless attacks."
Regional escalation
The strikes come after significant turmoil in the Middle East. On October 7, 2023, the Iran-backed terror group Hamas invaded southern Israel and murdered some 1200 people - taking a further 250 hostage. The resulting war saw other Iranian-backed terror groups target the Jewish state.
In recent months, Iran has launched direct attacks on Israel - leading Israel to launch a counter-attack on Iranian military sites.
Since October 7, US military forces have come under increased attacks by Iranian-backed groups in Syria and Iraq.
The US has 900 troops in Syria, and 2,500 more in neighboring Iraq, on a mission to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large swathes of both countries but was later defeated.
REUTERS contributed to this report.