US faces rift amid Resistance ops against bases, troops in Syria, Iraq
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The US occupation forces and the Biden administration are in quite the pickle in the Middle East, as they do not know how to act because they do not want war in the region.
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US military vehicle is seen on a patrol in the countryside near the town of Qamishli, Syria, December 4, 2022 (AP)
A recent surge in attacks on US occupation forces in the Middle East has ignited growing concerns within the Defense Department and raised questions about the US strategy of maintaining its foothold in the region, as well as countering Resistance groups exerting their right to self-determination.
US officials are voicing their dismay with the "incoherent" approach and limited attacks on the Resistance groups practically telling Washington to leave the region alone as US President Joe Biden authorized airstrike after airstrike that seemed to not to so much as to decrease the pace of Resistance operations, The Washington Post reported.
The exemplary Resistance operations carried out in the face of the US occupation come in light of the latter unwaveringly supporting the Israeli occupation in its ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has killed over 12,000 Palestinian civilians, half of whom are children.
The regional unrest resulting from the US backing of the Israeli occupation and the subsequent Resistance operations carried out against said supporter have caused concerns within the Biden administration that the United States would not be able to maintain its forces and that its acts against the people of the region would cause the situation to escalate into an all-out regional conflict.
Thus far, Biden has greenlit three rounds of airstrikes, all concentrated in eastern Syria, the most recent of which was on November 12. The Pentagon claims that the airstrikes destroyed weapon and ammunition warehouses, a command post, and a training facility, though they have failed to quell the ongoing Resistance operations.
The frequency of attacks on US troops, 61 as of November 17, has raised alarms, especially considering that there were approximately 80 similar incidents between January 2021 and March of this year.
The United States accuses Iran of being behind the attacks because of its support for regional Resistance movements, and as airstrikes seem to not work on the Resistance fighters, the Pentagon presented additional options to Biden for him to save face in light of the embarrassing situation in the region, which mostly reflects growing doubts within the military establishment about the efficacy of the current approach.
National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson issued a statement emphasizing President Biden's commitment to protecting US occupation forces and his readiness to take further measures if necessary. However, as the attack count continues to rise, concerns are mounting that it may only be a matter of time before a US occupation soldier loses their life in one of these incidents.
Senator Kevin Cramer, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, voiced his apprehension in an interview, stating, "I don’t sense any deterrence. They keep shooting, waiting for us to respond. We don’t, so they keep shooting. And eventually one of those drones, or one of those missiles or rockets, is going to kill an American. And then we’ll be off to the races."
Cramer emphasized that he is not advocating for a full-fledged war with Tehran but suggests a more assertive posture than strictly defensive measures. The fear remains that without a change in approach, the situation could escalate, posing a greater threat to US service members in the region.
Moreover, Joseph Votel, a retired Army general and former CENTCOM chief from 2016-2019, said it may be too early to tell if the strategy adopted by the administration will be able to quell the Resistance operations being carried out against US soldiers and bases.
US under attack
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced on Saturday that it targeted al-Tanf base, which is affiliated with the US occupation forces in Syria, using drone strikes.
Several sources told Al Mayadeen they heard several explosions inside the Conoco gas field, a US occupation base north of Deir Ezzor, which resulted from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeting the base with a barrage of missiles.
Simultaneously, an Al Mayadeen correspondent reported hearing explosions at the US base in al-Omar oil field, northeast of Deir Ezzor. In addition, the Resistance claimed responsibility for a drone attack that targeted the Harir base of the US occupation in northern Iraq.
Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades security official Abu Ali al-Askari stated that the strikes by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq are in line with the strategy of "exhausting the enemy" and its resources, confirming that the continuation of genocide against the Palestinian people places the world before a historical responsibility.
Iraqi Resistance: Enemy to see blows until Palestine's liberation
The Brigades, part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, affirmed its solidarity with the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Resistance amid Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, stressing its commitment to direct strikes against the enemy, in response to the crimes of the Zionist-American aggression.
The Brigades said in a statement on Thursday that the legendary steadfastness of the Palestinian people "in the face of the brutality of the Zionists, supported by the latest American military and intelligence machines, in addition to the support of England, France, and other Western countries, would not have been possible without their patience and belief in the necessity of regaining their rights stolen from the usurping entity."
Moreover, the statement touched on the US involvement in the deprivation of the Palestinian people of their rights and freedom while also supporting the aggression against them, including but not limited to the besieging of cities, cutting off water, food, and medicine, the destruction of buildings, displacing civilians, storming and bombing mosques and hospitals, and killing women and children.
US forces attacked 61 times in 40 days
US occupation facilities and bases in Syria and Iraq have been attacked 61 times since the start of the Israeli aggression on Gaza with US backing, a US military official told Al Mayadeen on Friday.
"The US forces and its facilities were attacked 61 times in Iraq and Syria since October 7," the official said.
This means there were at least five attacks during the last 48 hours, as the Pentagon reported on Tuesday that there were 56 incidents of attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria since October 7.
Sabrina Singh, the Deputy Press Secretary of the Pentagon, informed journalists that out of the 59 US personnel who sustained injuries, 32 were categorized with non-serious injuries, while the remaining 27 individuals suffered from traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Last week, in response to American aggression, the Yemeni Armed Forces shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone near the Yemeni Coast. The drone was reportedly surveilling Yemen when the Yemeni Armed Forces shot it down, estimated to cost about $30 million.
