Illustrative image. Source: the Israeli Air Force.
A series of strikes targeted the Syrian-Iraqi border early on December 30, killing or wounding dozens amid rising tensions between the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance” and Israel over the ongoing war on the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
The strikes targeted positions of Iranian-backed forces in the Syrian town of al-Bukamal as well as a convoy at the al-Qa’im border crossing with Iraq, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a London-based pro-opposition monitoring group.
Meanwhile, the Beirut-based Al Mayadeen TV, which is close to Lebanese Hezbollah, reported that al-Hajana building and Badr Hospital in al-Bukamal were both hit.
Two Videos posted to social media showed large blasts and what appears to be ammunition exploding prematurely close to al-Bukamal.
The SOHR said that nine were killed, including three Syrians and six foreigners, and more than 27 others were wounded in the strikes. Sabreen News, an Iraqi news channel on Telegram, reported the death of five only, but said some of them were Lebanese nationals. From its side, Al Mayadeen said that a total of seven were killed.
Both the SOHR and Sabreen alleged that the strikes were carried out by the United States military. However, this is yet to be confirmed by Washington.
The U.S. Central command carried out strikes against Iranian-backed forces in Syria and Iraq more than once in recent months in response to attacks that targeted its forces there.
The vast majority of the attacks -more than 105 have been reported by the Pentagon since October 17- were carried out by the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella of forces affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in response to the Israeli war on Gaza which is supported by the U.S.
The strikes on al-Bukamal came just a few hours after the IRI announced that it had fired rockets a U.S. base near the northeastern Syrian town of al-Shadaddi and launched suicide drones at al-Hariri Air Base in the northern Iraqi autonomous region of Kurdistan which also hosts American troops.
While it is very possible that the deadly strikes were carried out by the U.S. military, an Israeli involvement in the attack can’t be ruled out.
Just three days ago, the IRI claimed responsibility for a drone attack that targeted the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Furthermore, the group attempted to target the Karish gas rig off Israeli shores with a suicide drone last week.
