A drone attack on a Syrian base housing U.S. troops killed at least six Kurdish fighters late Sunday.
The attack marked the first in Iraq or Syria since the U.S. launched retaliatory strikes against Iranian-backed groups after three U.S. service members were killed in a deadly drone strike in Jordan last month. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the U.S., said Sunday’s attack struck a training ground at the al-Omar base in Syria’s eastern province of Deir el-Zour, The Associated Press reported.
No U.S. troops were reported killed in the attack, the AP noted.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organization of militias backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for the latest attack in a video message. The same group had claimed responsibility for the attack in Jordan late last month.
The SDF had initially blamed “Syrian regime-backed mercenaries” for the attack on Sunday but later said “Iran-backed militias” were responsible after an investigation.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based organization that tracks developments in Syria, said seven SDF members were killed with at least another 18 injured.
This attack comes as the White House is warning Iran that there will be further retaliation if Iran-backed militias continue their attacks. National security adviser Jake Sullivan made the rounds on morning news shows on Sunday, warning that the recent U.S. retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria are “not the end of it.”
“It began with strikes on Friday night, but that is not the end of it. We intend to take additional strikes and additional action to continue to send a clear message that the United States will respond when our forces are attacked, or people are killed,” Sullivan told NBC News anchor Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press.”
Separately, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said late Sunday that U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike in Yemen against a Houthi land attack cruise missile. CENTCOM said the U.S. struck four anti-ship cruise missiles that were preparing to launch against ships in the Red Sea.
The Associated Press contributed.
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