US forces in Syria on high alert after attack on military base

US forces in Syria on high alert after attack on military base


US forces across Syria have been placed on high alert following a midnight attack by Iranian-backed militias on one of its bases in the northeastern province of Hasakah, a war monitor reported on Saturday.

In the early hours of Saturday, an armed drone directly targeted the Kharab al-Jir base in the Rmelan area of Hasakah, leading to significant damage and fire within the facility, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attack has prompted the US-led International Coalition to bolster both logistical and military support to its bases across Syria, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

According to the observatory, US bases in Syria have been subjected to 135 attacks by Iranian-backed militias since October 19, 2023.

The majority of these assaults have focused on the Conoco gas plant, the al-Omar oil field base in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, and the al-Shaddadi base in the Hasakah countryside.

The recent escalation comes amid heightened tensions in northeastern Syria, with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) engaged in clashes with pro-Syrian government forces, leading to the SDF effectively chocking all routes to the government-controlled areas in Hasakah.

It also comes as Iran is expected to respond to Israel following the assassination of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.