A fully armed MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle taxis down the runway at an air base in Afghanistan on its way to another wartime mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson).
On January 5, the US-led coalition released footage showing some of its recent strikes on Iranian-backed forces in the government-held part of the eastern Syrian governorate of Deir Ezzor.
The first wave of strikes, which took place on January 4, destroyed several launch sites for short-range rockets near the town of al-Mayadin in the southern countryside of Deir Ezzor. The rockets were allegedly aimed at the Green Village, the US-led coalition’s main base in al-Omar oil fields in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside.
The strikes failed to deter Iranian-backed forces. Early on January 5, a rocket attack targeted the Green Village. There were no casualties. However, material losses were reported.
The second wave of strikes, which also targeted military positions around al-Mayadin, was a response to the rocket attack.
Another one: pic.twitter.com/tPIlTVyVBC
— Nafiseh Kohnavard (@nafisehkBBC) January 5, 2022
Just like in Iraq, Iranian-backed forces in Syria appear to be determined to honor the memory of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Deputy-Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units, and Iranian Quds Force Commander Maj. Gen. Qassim Soleimani who were assassinated by the US around two years ago.
Iranian-backed forces want US-led coalition troops to withdraw from Iraq and Syria. However, Washington appears to planning to escalate instead of preparing to leave the two countries.
