The Pentagon has confirmed that the United States conducted a strike against military assets in eastern Syria after a rocket attack occurred near one of its bases. This strike comes amid intensifying violence in Syria, as opposition fighters make advances against government positions.
Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder announced on Tuesday that the US military targeted weapon systems, including rocket launchers and a tank, that posed a “clear and imminent threat” to American forces in the area. The strike coincides with a surge in conflict across the war-torn country, particularly as armed opposition groups launched an aggressive offensive in northwest Syria against President Bashar al-Assad’s government, marking a new phase in the ongoing civil war.
This offensive has raised questions about potential US involvement and the risk of entanglement given the significant military presence in Syria. Ryder explained that the US strike was in response to a rocket launch that landed “in the vicinity” of Military Support Site (MSS) Euphrates, a US base located in eastern Syria. While it remains unclear who operated the attacked weapons, both Iran-backed groups and Syrian government forces are known to operate in the area. The Pentagon emphasized that this operation was “not linked to any broader activities in northwest Syria by other groups.”
Meanwhile, Damascus has accused the US of providing air support for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which have been pushing against government-controlled villages east of the Euphrates River, near Deir ez-Zor. The SDF has received US assistance for several years under the pretense of combating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ISIS).
On Tuesday, Syrian state-run Alikhbaria TV reported ongoing clashes between the SDF and government forces near the village of Tabiyet Jazira, claiming that US aircraft were attacking frontline positions in the area. Earlier in the day, the SDF announced it had taken control of seven villages east of the Euphrates, citing “serious threats related to the imminent movement of large ISIS terrorist cells.” The SDF’s Deir ez-Zor Military Council stated that the deployment of forces was a response to urgent pleas from the local population amid rising potential risks from ISIS.
Despite these claims, the Syrian government contended that the villages remain under its control.
To the west, government troops are engaged in battles with rebel forces attempting to advance towards the central city of Hama. The lines of conflict, which had largely stagnated over the past four years, are now experiencing significant changes. Rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched their offensive last week, managing to take control of Aleppo and moving south toward Hama.
The situation has shifted during a period when President al-Assad’s main military backers—Russia, Iran, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah—are preoccupied with their own conflicts.
The US, which labels Assad a “brutal dictator,” has denied any involvement in the rebels’ offensive, stating clearly that Washington considers HTS to be a “terrorist” organization. HTS originated from al-Nusra Front, which was al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria during the early years of the civil war.
Currently, the Pentagon reports that there are about 900 US troops in Syria, with a strong partnership with the SDF, one of the major players in the conflict. However, Ryder declined to address inquiries regarding the SDF’s operations in the Deir ez-Zor area, reiterating that US focus remains on combating ISIS.
Credit: Aljazeera
