Pentagon: The U.S. Had No Role in Israel's Attack on Iranian Interests in Damascus

Sabrina Singh, the Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, emphasized on Tuesday, April 2, that the United States had no role in Israel's attack in Damascus and was unaware of Israel's decision to target Tehran's interests. In response to a question about rising concerns over the potential expansion of attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria following Israel's attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Singh added, "We are closely monitoring the situation in the region to ensure our forces are well protected." She rejected the notion that the U.S. Department of Defense had prior knowledge of Israel's plans to attack Quds Force commanders, stating, "The Israelis did not inform us of the timing or intended target of their attack in Damascus." Singh further commented on the decrease in attacks by Iranian proxy forces on U.S. positions in the Middle East in recent months, noting that only yesterday, an attacking drone was shot down near the Al-Tanf base, which they do not believe targeted U.S. or coalition forces, although they suspect it was likely fired by a group supported by the IRGC. On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Paris, reacted to the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus and the killing of Quds Force commanders, stating that they are working to clarify the facts of the incident. He emphasized the need to obtain details of the attack, stating, "We are trying to prevent conflict, especially between Israel and Lebanon, as we know that neither the Israelis, Hezbollah, Lebanon, nor Iran seek to initiate this conflict." John Kirby, the White House National Security Advisor, responded to claims by the Iranian Foreign Minister that the U.S. is responsible for the attack on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus, stating that this claim is nonsense and that they had no connection to the attack in Damascus and were not involved at all. In the airstrike on Monday, April 1, targeting senior Quds Force commanders at the Iranian consulate in Damascus, at least six of these IRGC members were killed, while some regional media reported the death toll as 13.