Locations in eastern soils of Syria that the United States claims were connected to Iranian military activities have been attacked by airstrikes. The attack has once more drawn attention to the ongoing operation of US military in Syria.
The United States has reduced its once more significant involvement in Syrian soils during the past years. However, it has continued to operate in some regions with restricted authority, reportedly to combat ISIS and restrict Iran’s foothold.
The Wednesday announcement of operations in eastern Syria seems to be a component of containing Iranian influence. The attacks, according to Centcom spokesman, were required to protect and safeguard US troops. They were also a retaliation to a suspected Iranian-backed paramilitary assault on American troops a week earlier.
Soon after the insurgence against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad started, Washington declared its sympathy with the Syrian rebels. However, the goal of the country’s first significant military intervention in Syria was to reduce the role of the regional resistance.
An alliance headed by the US began airstrikes against ISIS in Syria eight years ago while involved in a war in Iraq. The alliance received about 2,000 soldiers from Washington. The People’s Protection Units (YPG formed the Syrian Democratic Forces a year later with assistance from the white House.
The United States referred to the chemical weapons as the red line during Obama years. But the first major assaults on the Syrian regime were launched under the next American government.
US military launched cruise missiles in 2017 on the never-proven pretext of a chemical assault that left 88 people dead in the Idlib province in Syria. Neither Washington nor any other international body has ever provided the media with documented evidence about Syrian government’s involvement in chemical attacks. Observers find them as the opposition’s false flags.
Goal in Syria
The missiles were aimed towards a site that was allegedly used to conduct the chemical assault. Following a chemical assault in Douma, a US-led assault was also started a year later.
Washington has secretly equipped and trained Syrian rebel fighters besides the SDF. The Syrian administration has repeatedly raised objections to the US presence there and called for the withdrawal of US troops. Russia, who is Assad’s principal supporter, has also demanded the US departure.
Ankara clarified that it opposes US assistance to the YPG. The YPG is seen by Ankara as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s Syrian affiliate (PKK). PKK is an organization labeled as “terrorist” in Turkey along with the United States, and the European Union.
The US has four key goals in Syria, according to the White House coordinator for the MENA regions. Brett McGurk says lessening bloodshed, keeping up military stress on ISIS, handling the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria, and assisting Israel are these goals.
US forces have carried out attacks in Syria targeting key al-Qaeda and ISIS figures, including ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Local reports confirmed that that civilians have also been the victim of these strikes in thousands.
According to a Syrian analyst, “the official goal of the Americans in Syria is defeating ISIS and ensuring that ISIS does not return to the areas that have been liberated.” Mzahem Alsaloum goes on to claim that “the presence of the Americans is also important to cut military and smuggling supply line,” potentially referring to Iran.
Even under Donald Trump, who promised to evacuate US soldiers from Syria, the US administration has emphasized the significance of remaining in Syria to combat ISIS and Iran. The SDF had received “assurances” that, unlike in Afghanistan, the US won’t be removing its soldiers from Syria.
