Syria condemns U.S strikes on its territory

Syria’s foreign ministry has condemned U.S. strikes on its territory, saying Washington had lied about the targets.

The U.S. said it carried out strikes on facilities affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria after a drone attack killed an American contractor in Syria.

The foreign ministry pledged to “end the American occupation” of its territory.

Swift response

Meanwhile, an Iranian security spokesperson said on Saturday that strikes on Iranian-linked bases in Syria would draw a quick response.

“Any pretext to attack bases created at the request of the Syrian government to deal with terrorism and Islamic State elements in this country will be met with an immediate counter-response,” Keyvan Khosravi, spokesperson for Iran’s top security body, was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.

Iran says its forces and allied fighters are in Syria at the request of Damascus and sees U.S. forces there as occupiers.

The death toll in U.S. air strikes on pro-Iran installations in eastern Syria has risen to 19 fighters, a Syrian war monitoring group said on Saturday.

The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air raids killed three Syrian troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian fighters who were aligned with the government.

The initial exchange prompted a string of tit-for-tat strikes. Another U.S. service member was wounded, according to officials, and local sources said suspected U.S. rocket fire hit more locations in eastern Syria.

Also Read: U.S carries out air strikes in Syria

President Joe Biden on Friday warned Iran that the United States would “act forcefully” to protect Americans.

Iran has been a major backer of President Bashar al-Assad during Syria’s 12-year conflict.

Iran’s proxy militias, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah and pro-Tehran Iraqi groups, hold sway in swathes of eastern, southern and northern Syria and in suburbs around the capital.

Peace, stability and lasting security

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani told state media that Iran’s military advisers have been in Syria at the request of the Syrian government to help the country fight terrorism and shall remain by Syria’s side to help establish peace, stability and lasting security.

Tehran’s growing entrenchment in Syria has drawn regular Israeli air strikes but American aerial raids are rare. The U.S. has been raising the alarm about Iran’s drone program.

Zainab Sa’id