Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin says the transfer was in response to continued assaults on US forces in Syria and Iraq.
The US has attacked an alleged weapons storage facility in jap Syria it believes was being utilized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran-backed teams.
In a press release on Wednesday, US Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned the “self-defence strike” was carried out by two of the air power’s F-15 fighters in response to latest assaults on US forces.
“The president has no larger precedence than the protection of US personnel, and he directed at present’s motion to clarify that the US will defend itself, its personnel and its pursuits,” the assertion mentioned.
Amid rising tensions because the Israel-Hamas struggle erupted on October 7, Washington has mentioned its troops and their allies have been attacked at the very least 40 instances in Iraq and Syria by Iran-backed forces, with 45 servicemen struggling traumatic mind accidents or minor wounds.
Late final month, the Pentagon mentioned the US struck two IRGC and Iran-linked amenities in Syria following assaults on US personnel.
In Wednesday’s assertion, Austin urged an finish to the assaults.
“The US is totally ready to take additional crucial measures to guard our individuals and our amenities. We urge in opposition to any escalation,” he mentioned.
The US has 900 troops in Syria and a couple of,500 extra in Iraq, on a mission to advise and help native forces making an attempt to forestall a resurgence of ISIL (ISIS), which in 2014 seized management of enormous swathes of each nations earlier than it was ultimately defeated.
The US has mentioned its strikes should not linked with the Israel-Hamas struggle, amid issues a couple of regional escalation of the disaster.
Iran backs each Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2006, and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which has been engaged in skirmishes with Israel alongside the Israel-Lebanon border.
