US military says it hit Iran-backed group in Syria

American forces on Tuesday carried out strikes against targets linked to an Iran-backed group in Syria, the U.S. military said, with a war monitor saying the attacks killed five fighters.

The raids were in response to a rocket attack on U.S. troops in the country, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The strikes targeted the group's "weapons storage and logistics headquarters facility... in response to a rocket attack on U.S. personnel," CENTCOM said in a post on social media that did not identify the group by name.

"There was no damage to U.S. facilities and no injuries to US or partner forces during the attack," CENTCOM added.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said "five pro-Iranian fighters were killed and others injured, after American jets targeted" one of their bases in the city of Albukamal, in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province.

The previous day, U.S. forces bombed nine targets associated with Iran-backed groups in response to recent drone and rocket attacks, according to the Pentagon.

The Observatory said those strikes killed four members of groups loyal to Iran.

The U.S. military has around 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the international coalition that was established in 2014 to help combat the Islamic State jihadist group.

Since war broke out in the Gaza Strip after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, pro-Iran groups have repeatedly targeted US forces in Iraq and Syria in response to Washington's support for Israel.

The United States has on multiple occasions responded to such attacks with strikes on Iran-backed groups.