U.S. Central Command this morning successfully engaged and destroyed several weapon systems that posed a threat to U.S. and coalition forces in Syria, the Defense Department announced.
The weapons destroyed — which included three truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers, a T-64 tank and multiple mortars — presented a “clear and imminent threat” to U.S. and coalition forces in the vicinity of eastern Syria’s Mission Support Site Euphrates, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told the media this afternoon.
“The self-defense strike occurred after the mobile multiple rocket launchers fired rockets that landed in the vicinity of MSS Euphrates, and mortars were fired toward U.S. forces,” Ryder said.
He added that, while DOD is still assessing who was operating the weapons, Iranian-backed militia groups are operating in the region that have attacked MSS Euphrates in the past.
This morning’s incident was the second time in less than a week that Centcom forces were used to neutralize a hostile threat in the region.
On Nov. 29, Centcom employed A-10 fighter aircraft to successfully engage a hostile target that imposed a threat to U.S. and coalition forces at MSS Euphrates.
“Individuals were observed preparing a rocket rail,” Ryder said of the threat.
“These self-defense actions likewise eliminated threats to our personnel at MSS Euphrates,” he added.
When questioned as to whether either of the past week’s engagements was indicative of Centcom working with the Syrian Democratic Forces as part of the greater civil war going on throughout the region, Ryder repeatedly made clear that U.S. forces in the region are primarily focused on protecting their own personnel and partnering with the SDF to counter ISIS.
“To be clear, these self-defense actions successfully eliminated imminent threats to U.S. personnel and were not linked to any broader activities in northwest Syria by other groups,” Ryder said.
“Our focus is on protecting our forces and also preserving our efforts to conduct counter-ISIS operations in partnership with the SDF,” he added.
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