Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder noted that 17 such attacks on US bases have happened since October 17|Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|CC BY 2.0
The Pentagon announced two of its F-16 fighter jets strategically attacked the weapons and ammunition storage areas of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Syria early Friday.
The defensive move was retaliation for drone and missile attacks against US bases and personnel in the region that started a week back.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder noted that 17 such attacks have taken place since October 17. Though unsuccessful, the strikes have minorly injured 21 US Army personnel so far.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured and warned that America “does not seek conflict and has no intention nor desire to engage in further hostilities, but these Iranian-backed attacks against US forces are unacceptable and must stop.”
His warning comes during a volatile time in the Middle East spurred by the Israel-Hamas war in which the US fully supports Tel Aviv while Tehran has previously backed Hamas.