https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1717726721628062135
#BREAKING - PENTAGON: "U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups. These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups…"
10:15 PM · Oct 26, 2023
·116.3K Views
TEXT
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Statement
on U.S. Military Strikes in Eastern Syria
Oct. 26, 2023 f
Today, at President Biden's direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on
two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and
affiliated groups. These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing
and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed
militia groups that began on October 17. As a result of these attacks, one U.S. citizen
contractor died from a cardiac incident while sheltering in place; 21 U.S. personnel suffered
from minor injuries, but all have since returned to duty. The President has no higher priority
than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today's action to make clear that the
United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its personnel, and its
interests.
The United States does not seek conflict and has no intention nor desire to engage in further
hostilities, but these Iranian-backed attacks against U.S. forces are unacceptable and must
stop. Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will
not let them. If attacks by Iran's proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to
take further necessary measures to protect our people.
These narrowly tailored strikes in self-defense were intended solely to protect and defend
U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. They are separate and distinct from the ongoing conflict
between Israel and Hamas, and do not constitute a shift in our approach to the Israel-Hamas
conflict. We continue to urge all state and non-state entities not to take action that would
escalate into a broader regional conflict.