The Pentagon in Washington was the site of an airstrike conducted by two US F-15 fighter jets on a weapons storage facility in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups, as announced by the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the precision self-defense strike was in response to a series of attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria by IRGC-Quds Force affiliates. “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 defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,” Austin added.
The strike targeted a facility in Maysalun in Deir Ezzor, Syria, believed to have housed weapons used in many of the airstrikes against US forces in the region. The senior military official confirmed that there were no civilian casualties and the US used the deconfliction line with Russia.
US and coalition forces have experienced multiple targeted attacks by Iranian proxies, resulting in injuries and minor damage. The US strike on the weapons storage facility was intended to send a clear message to Iran, holding them accountable for the attacks on US forces and urging Iran to direct its proxies to stop.
The US also communicated directly with Iran and its aligned groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and their regional partners, clarifying that military actions do not signal a change in approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US has no intentions of escalating conflict in the region and remains committed to self-defense and the protection of US personnel.
This development comes as Iran-backed groups plan to increase attacks on US forces in the Middle East, with the US responding by sending significant firepower to the region as a deterrence to widen the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The US has fortified its bases with additional Patriot batteries and increased defensive counter air-patrols to further deter attacks and defend their forces.
