Pentagon: We Destroyed IRGC Weapons Depot and Ammunition Storage Facilities

The Pentagon spokesperson confirmed the U.S. attacks on positions used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Syria on Thursday night. Pat Ryder stated, "On Thursday evening, U.S. Air Force F-16 and F-15 fighter jets conducted defensive strikes on a weapons depot and ammunition storage facilities used by the IRGC and affiliated groups in Abu Kamal, Syria, both of which were destroyed." He added that these attacks did not result in any casualties and were solely aimed at protecting and defending U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon spokesperson also clarified that U.S. attacks on the positions of the Islamic Republic and its proxy forces are distinct from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and do not change the U.S. approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict, stating, "In the past ten days, U.S. forces and the coalition have been attacked at least 14 times in Iraq and 6 times in Syria by a combination of drones and missiles, most of which were disrupted by defensive measures and did not reach their targets." The United States announced on Thursday that in response to repeated drone and missile attacks by Iranian proxy forces on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria, it targeted two facilities related to Iran-backed militants used by the IRGC and its affiliated groups in eastern Syria. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin directly accused Iran of being involved in the attacks on U.S. forces, stating, "Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not allow them to do so, and if attacks by Iranian proxy forces continue, we will conduct further strikes against them."