US carried out strikes against Iranian linked targets in Syria

The US military said on Monday it had carried out strikes against nine targets associated with Iranian groups in Syria.

The US military said the strikes were against two locations in Syria and a response to several attacks on US personnel in Syria in the past 24-hours.

The US has occasionally carried out strikes against targets linked to Iran in Iraq and Syria. In February, the US launched air strikes in Iraq and Syria against more than 85 targets linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and militias it backs in retaliation for a deadly attack on US troops.

“The strikes will degrade the Iranian backed groups' ability to plan and launch future attacks on US and coalition forces,” the US military said after the most recent strikes.

The US has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in neighbouring 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.

The US has sent warships and fighter aircraft to the region since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted on October 7 2023 to try to deter Iran and Iran-backed groups.

US forces have also helped shoot down projectiles Iran launched towards Israel this year.

Reuters