US conducts military drills in Syria after uptick of Resistance ops.

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
10 Dec 2023 01:00
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Informed sources tell Al Mayadeen that the US fears ground operations against its bases and troops.

American soldiers drive a Bradley fighting vehicle during a joint exercise with the SDF in the countryside of Deir Ezzor in northeastern Syria, Dec. 8, 2021 (AP)

The International Coalition, headed by the United States, has conducted extensive military drills at several of its bases in the countryside of al-Hasakah and Deir Ezzor, as a precaution against any new attacks by Resistance factions.

This comes after an uptick in attacks against US bases in Iraq and Syria, with the Resistance confirming it had conducted 11 operations against US military bases in Syria and Iraq in one day only on Friday.

US occupation helicopters flew at low altitudes over al-Hasakah city, its countryside, and the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor from the early hours of the morning until Saturday evening, coinciding with the sounds of gunfire and explosions reported within its bases.

Informed sources told Al Mayadeen that the International Coalition "conducted live ammunition exercises, involving helicopters and drones, at the Qasrak and Tell Baidar bases in the northwestern countryside of al-Hasakah and the Conoco base in the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor."

They added that the exercises are part of a broad operation launched by Washington under the name "Blue Arrow", which will last for several days and include a number of US bases in Syria.

The aim is to "simulate responding to hypothetical attacks on US bases, along with training on attacking fortified positions and liberating prisoners."

The sources revealed that the United States "fears ground attacks on its bases and the capture of its personnel."

Therefore, they are "conducting exercises simulating such attacks."

The sources pointed out that the Resistance attacks "have had a significant psychological impact on US soldiers, after seeing some of their compatriots being injured, cases of nervous breakdowns recorded, fearing a similar fate."

The sources also disclosed that "the Kharab al-Jir Airport base witnessed, on Saturday afternoon, the landing of a new cargo plane carrying weapons and equipment as part of a plan to transport a batch of weapons and equipment to enhance the defensive capabilities of US bases in Syria and Iraq."

They noted that "this batch is the fourth to be airlifted to the bases in Syria in the past 10 days."

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has escalated its attacks against US bases in both Syria and Iraq in response to the United States' central role in the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip. Since October 18, Resistance factions have targeted US bases in Syria about 85 times, resulting in the injury of at least 70 US soldiers, as well as significant material damage inside these bases.

Iraqi Resistance chief: We will resist until the last US soldier is expelled from the country

Earlier today, a senior official in the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades, Abu Ali al-Askari, confirmed, in a statement on Telegram, that the Resistance operations against the US occupation will continue until the last soldier is expelled from Iraq.

Abu Ali al-Askari explained that "yesterday's operations mark the start of a new phase of confrontations, and the coming days will determine the intensity of our response."

"Any foolishness from the American enemy will be met with severe retaliatory measures and an expansion of operations."

Al-Askari opened up his statement by commending the fighters of the Iraqi Resistance who are racing to execute valiant operations against the US occupation sites in the country, saying that many in Iraq quiver with the onset of these operations as they fear for their bureaucratic privileges, which are conditioned upon the persistence of the occupation.

Furthermore, the Iraqi Resistance chief described the US embassy in Iraq as being a "den of espionage," which serves as an advanced base for organizing military and security operations.