/ world today news/ The Syrian army entered into fierce clashes with the American army after American airstrikes on the eastern parts of the capital of the province of Deir ez-Zor. The Pentagon spoke of actions in the framework of “self-defense”, but earlier the US attacked weapons depots in eastern Syria, which was the reason for another round of escalation. How will the situation develop further?
On Thursday, the Syrian military exchanged fire with American soldiers. According to the Al Mayadin TV channel, the fighting and “fierce clashes” began after the US Air Force attacked the eastern neighborhoods of Deir ez Zor, one of the important centers of the province. The Kurdish “Democratic Syrian Forces” are also on the side of the Americans. At the same time, the main US forces are located east of the Euphrates, and representatives of Damascus are located west of the river.
The escalation came in connection with the US attack on weapons depots in eastern Syria. The impact killed nine people. Israeli planes also fired at some targets in the southern part of the country. Against this background, American bases were again shelled. Thus, the “Associated Press” writes about a drone attack on the American base “Ain al-Assad” in Iraq.
According to the Pentagon, 13 soldiers were injured on the territory of this base, four of whom received head wounds. Another 32 people were wounded in an attack on the al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria. Other areas under American control were also attacked: “Green Village”, the Conoco gas field and Al-Shadadi.
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said the US action was dictated by the need for “self-defense”. According to the NBC channel, this is how the military department responded to a series of attacks against American personnel in the countries of the Middle East region. Austin said Washington had demonstrated a willingness to “protect itself, its service members and its interests.”
The actions of the US are causing serious tension throughout the Middle East region. An American MKu-9 Reaper reconnaissance drone was shot down by the Houthis off the coast of Yemen. According to Ansar Allah spokesman Yahya Saria, the UAV “conducted hostile reconnaissance activities” over the country’s territorial waters to “support the Israeli regime.”
The Pentagon acknowledged the loss of the drone. The Central Command of the US armed forces, which includes the Middle East, is currently conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The current situation means that the US is beginning to fear being drawn into a powerful regional conflict. According to the Axios portal, increased attacks on US bases and other targets in Arab states could “set back efforts in recent years to reduce the US presence in the Middle East”.
Now, instability in such important territories is forcing Washington to move many more troops and equipment to the region. And the need to deploy a large contingent in the Middle East may hinder Washington’s plans to increase its military presence in a completely different part of the planet – in the Pacific Ocean, analysts believe.
The Russian expert community associates another round of tension with the events surrounding the Gaza Strip. “There are many American bases in the region. And lately the cases of attacks against military personnel are increasing. I assume that this may be due to Washington’s support for Israel,” says Kirill Semyonov, an expert at the Russian Council on International Relations.
In response, the Pentagon likely decided to attack Iranian targets in Syria, the spokesman suggested. “Austin called the strikes ‘self-defense.’ On the one hand, it’s hard to disagree with him – Americans doing their military duty have suffered, so the authorities want to protect them. But if you look at the situation through the eyes of the countries of the Middle East, then the presence of American forces in this territory is generally unacceptable. And then the American shelling looks like a supreme manifestation of injustice that cannot be ignored,” Semyonov believes.
“Furthermore, in this situation, Damascus looks like a more vulnerable country. The United States has colossal air capabilities in this region, which will allow it to quickly suppress Syrian forces. However, the very fact of such a powerful escalation risks extremely negative consequences for the region. Escalation will continue to gain momentum and the current attacks will definitely not be the last,” says the Orientalist.
“The reason for the conflict between US and Syrian troops in the Arab Republic is that the US military is there illegally. No one invited them there, there were no agreements. The very presence of foreign forces in this territory provokes such clashes,” adds Alexander Vavilov, a professor at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry and an expert on the Middle East.
“In this case, the Syrians are right to defend their territory and defend their sovereignty. The fighting near Deir ez-Zor is being fought because there are American fortifications and military bases in the area. This sets the stage for possible clashes,” the source noted.
Semyonov believes that fundamental changes will occur in the Middle East and “history has reached the moment of transformation of the geopolitical arena.” “It is almost impossible to predict the outcome of the confrontation. The events in the Middle East are particularly complicated. It is difficult to even assess the balance of power in the region because there are so many important players. In addition, warring parties often resort to the help of smaller groups, which can also seriously change the course of events,” the interlocutor emphasizes.
According to Vavilov, the Americans will soon be convinced of the futility of an illegal stay in Syria, since the balance of forces is in favor of the Syrians – they are at home and have a fairly large number of troops. “The Americans have a limited contingent and are only capable of conducting defensive actions,” he emphasizes.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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