Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Army photo)
The United States forces in Syria and Iraq “retains the right to self-defense,” Major General Matthew McFarlane, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, warned on February 15, just a few hours after shooting down an Iranian-manufactured drone over an American base in the eastern Syrian governorate of Deir Ezzor.
The drone, which was identified as a hand-launched Yazdan, was flying over Mission Support Site Conoco, a gas plant located on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, when it was shot down.
“These activities are attempts to detract from our partner forces’ Defeat-ISIS mission. The coalition retains the right to self-defense and will not hesitate to take appropriate measures to protect our forces,” Maj. Gen. McFarlane said in a statement after the incident.
The U.S. Central Command said after the incident that the Iranian-manufactured drone was conducting a reconnaissance mission.
Nevertheless, an Iranian military adviser working in Syria told news sources in his country that the drone was launched to test U.S. air defenses in northern and eastern Syria.
“It was a small, hand-launched drone that is used to test enemy’s aid defenses, and it has successfully achieved its goals,” the unnamed adviser was quoted as saying.
Several armed factions backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are deployed alongside Syrian government forces in several towns near the Conoco gas plant. The small drone was most likely launched from there.
The U.S.-led coalition shot down several drones over its bases in northern and eastern Syria as well as near its sole garrison in the country’s southeastern region over the last few years. In a few cases, the coalition responded. This led to limited military confrontations with Iran and its allies in both Syria and neighboring Iraq.
