The
U.S. carried out strikes in eastern Syria in response to a drone
attack on Thursday that left one American contractor dead, and
another one wounded along with five U.S. troops. Washington said
the attack was of Iranian origin.
The retaliatory strikes by the U.S. on what it said were
facilities in Syria used by groups affiliated to Iran's
Revolutionary Guard Corps left a total of 19 dead, according to
the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The war monitor said air raids killed three Syrian troops, 11
Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian
fighters who were aligned with the government.
The monitor's head Rami Abdel Rahman could not specify the
nationalities of the foreigners. Reuters was unable to
independently confirm the toll.
The initial exchange prompted a string of tit-for-tat strikes.
Another U.S. service member was wounded, according to officials,
and local sources said suspected U.S. rocket fire hit more
locations in eastern Syria.
President Joe Biden on Friday warned Iran that the United States
would "act forcefully" to protect Americans.
Iran has been a major backer of President Bashar al-Assad during
Syria's 12-year conflict.
Iran's proxy militias, including Lebanese group Hezbollah and
pro-Tehran Iraqi groups, hold sway in swathes of eastern,
southern and northern Syria and in suburbs around the capital.
Tehran's growing entrenchment in Syria has drawn regular Israeli
air strikes but American aerial raids are more rare. The U.S.
has been raising the alarm about Iran's drone program.
(Reporting by Maya GebeilyEditing by Frances Kerry and
Bernadette Baum)
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