Two F-16s struck IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) websites in Syria.

Early within the morning on Oct. 27, 2023, two U.S. F-16 fight plane carried out what the Pentagon referred to as “self-defense strikes” on two IRGC facilitiesin japanese Syria, in retaliation for the collection of drone and missile assaults in opposition to U.S. bases and personnel within the area launched on Oct. 17 – 19.

BREAKING: 19 American service members stationed in Iraq and Syria have been identified with traumatic mind damage after rocket and drone assaults from Iran-backed militants final week, in line with a Protection Division official. https://t.co/BfGVbMVuwo

— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) October 26, 2023

In line with the main points launched within the aftermath of the air strikes, the 2 plane destroyed ammunition and weapon storage services close to Abu Kamal, not removed from the border with Iraq. 

Right here’s the assertion by Secretary of Protection Lloyd J. Austin III:

Right this moment, at President Biden’s course, U.S. army forces carried out self-defense strikes on two services in japanese Syria utilized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated teams. These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a collection of ongoing and largely unsuccessful assaults in opposition to U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia teams that started on October 17. Because of these assaults, one U.S. citizen contractor died from a cardiac incident whereas sheltering in place; 21 U.S. personnel suffered from minor accidents, however all have since returned to responsibility. The President has no increased precedence than the security of U.S. personnel, and he directed right now’s motion to clarify that the US is not going to tolerate such assaults and can defend itself, its personnel, and its pursuits.

America doesn’t search battle and has no intention nor need to interact in additional hostilities, however these Iranian-backed assaults in opposition to U.S. forces are unacceptable and should cease. Iran desires to cover its hand and deny its function in these assaults in opposition to our forces. We is not going to allow them to. If assaults by Iran’s proxies in opposition to U.S. forces proceed, we is not going to hesitate to take additional obligatory measures to guard our folks.

These narrowly tailor-made strikes in self-defense have been meant solely to guard and defend U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. They’re separate and distinct from the continuing battle between Israel and Hamas, and don’t represent a shift in our method to the Israel-Hamas battle. We proceed to induce all state and non-state entities to not take motion that may escalate right into a broader regional battle.

The scenario is kind of tense within the area, with the U.S. able to retaliate for the assaults from the Iranian-backed teams as strongly as doable to discourage future aggression, whereas additionally attempting to keep away from frightening a wider battle.

In the meantime, the construct up continues. There are three F-16C Fighting Falcon squadrons within the CENTCOM (Central Command) space of operations with the newest one being the Vipers of the New Jersey Air Nationwide Guard’s 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, that arrived within the area on Oct. 24, 2023, to affix two A-10C Thunderbolt II squadrons and one F-15E Strike Eagle squadron in addition to a number of strategic airlift, aerial refueling, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms, already stationed there. The USS Gerald R. Ford is already working within the japanese Mediterranean Sea, whereas the usDwight D. Eisenhower is on its solution to the identical waters.

In the meantime, the usFord continues to be crusing in the identical space pic.twitter.com/n41uc4izve

— Itamilradar (@ItaMilRadar) October 26, 2023

David Cenciotti is a journalist primarily based in Rome, Italy. He’s the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of many world’s most well-known and skim army aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for main worldwide magazines, together with Air Forces Month-to-month, Fight Plane, and lots of others, protecting aviation, protection, battle, business, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown a number of fight planes with completely different air forces. He’s a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Drive, a non-public pilot and a graduate in Laptop Engineering. He has written 5 books and contributed to many extra ones.