US Retaliatory Strikes Hit 85 Targets In Syria And Iraq

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted airstrikes on Friday in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups in retaliation for the killing of three US soldiers last week.

According to CENTCOM, U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States, adding that the airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions.

CENTCOM said that the facilities that were struck included command and control operations centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces.

Friday’s strikes follows on news that on Thursday that U.S. Central Command forces engaged and shot down one UAV over the Gulf of Aden. There were no injuries or damage reported.

Later the same day (Thursday), at approximately 10:30 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes and destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi explosive uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) in the Red Sea. U.S. forces identified the USV heading toward the international shipping lane and determined it presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region. U.S. Forces subsequently struck and destroyed the USV in self-defense resulting in significant secondary explosions. There were no injuries or damage reported.

Then, at approximately 12:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), two anti-ship ballistic missile were launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen likely towards the M/V Koi in the Red Sea. The missiles impacted in the water without hitting the ship. There were no injuries and no damage reported to the M/V Koi or coalition ships in the area. M/V Koi is a Liberian flagged, Bermuda-owned cargo ship.