On Thursday, March 23, a drone strike in eastern Syria launched by an Iranian-backed militia killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five U.S. servicemembers and one additional contractor. A day later, President Biden authorized U.S. Central Command forces to conduct a precision airstrike on facilities used by Iran proxy groups. The airstrike exchange comes at a time of increased regional tensions as armed Russian jets violate U.S.-Coalition airspace in Syria and Russian forces continue to use Iranian-made drones in the Ukraine conflict. 

The initial drone attack hit a U.S.-led coalition based in northeastern Syria. While airstrikes on U.S. forces in-country are not infrequent, the situation raised safety concerns for the nearly 900 U.S. troops deployed across Syria. The militia believed to have launched the drone is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the U.S. designated a terrorist group in 2019.  

Details emerged following the Thursday drone attack that the main defense system on-base was “not fully operational” due to maintenance problems. A backup radar system failed to detect the drone. This factor has raised questions over whether the Iranian-backed militia knew of this vulnerability and sought to exploit the situation, or if the timing was coincidental. 

In response to the attack, the United States launched airstrikes that killed six Iranian-backed militiamen in the Harabesh district outside Deir el-Zour, located in eastern Syria. Five fighters were also killed outside Boukamal and Mayadeen, which are believed to be hotspots for Iranian militia activities. 

After the U.S. launched these airstrikes, Iranian-backed militias launched their own retaliatory drone attacks on March 24, which injured another American. This second round of drone strikes targeted the Conoco gas field in northeastern Syria and the U.S. Green Village installation which damaged an outside building. 

Since March 24, the U.S. has not launched a new round of airstrikes. Instead, President Biden sought to convey a cautionary tone on Friday, stating the United States does not desire a conflict with Iran but remains ready to respond to any threats against US military personnel.

In a Pentagon statement, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin conveyed similar sentiments, saying, “we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing. No group will strike our troops with impunity.” 

Regional tensions have escalated in recent months. Iran’s provision of armed drones to Russia for the war in Ukraine, paired with the substantial increase in Russian armed flyovers of US bases in Syria, has created a contentious political-military environment. Following the mutually retaliatory drone strikes, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani held separate phone calls with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to de-escalate the situation.