Pentagon concerned about escalation 'in the days ahead' in Middle East

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: US Department of Defense
24 Oct 2023 02:48
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United States officials continue to avoid condemning "Israel's" murdering of Palestinians, reasserting what they call the occupation's "right to self-defense."

Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, United States, October 19, 2023. (AP)

An escalation in CENTCOM, which includes the Middle East, might happen in the "days ahead", the United States Department of Defense spokesperson, Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, told reporters on Monday.

Ryder confirmed that there has been an increase in rocket and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) attacks on United States bases and facilities in Iraq and Syria.

"We are concerned about a broader escalation of these attacks in the days ahead, which is why you've seen us move some additional -- or announce some additional movements of forces into the region," the DoD's spokesperson told reporters.

When asked about the mounting number of civilians killed by Israeli airstrikes, Ryder refused to say that the killing of Palestinian civilians, in particular, is one of the Penatgon's concerns.

After being questioned six consecutive times on the matter, the spokesperson finally said, "No one wants to see innocent civilians die, no matter who they are," while failing to answer a simple yes or no question on whether the killing of Palestinian civilians is a concern for the Pentagon.

Iraq's Resistance targets US bases

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that it had targeted two US military occupation bases in Syria, the al-Omar Oilfield in Deir Ezzor, and the al-Shadadi base in al-Hasakah countryside, eastern Syria.

According to the official statement, the bases were successfully hit with suicide drones noting "direct hits".

This is not the first time the Iraqi Resistance targets US bases. Earlier in the day, the Islamic Resistance claimed responsibility for the attack on the US occupation's al-Tanf base in Syria and other US occupation bases near al-Rukban camp.

The Islamic Resistance revealed that the offensives were carried out with drones that caused severe damage after they directly hit their targets.

The Resistance also announced that its fighters conducted a drone strike on the US occupation's al-Malikiyah base in Syria.

Resistance factions in the Middle East have committed to supporting Gaza and its Resistance against the Israeli occupation. Since last week, US occupation bases have been a target of the Resistance's drones and rockets, due to the US's military and diplomatic backing of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

In the same context, the US has increased its military presence in the region, which included US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, as well as anti-air defense systems including a THAAD battery.