US begins Middle East airstrikes in response to deaths of three soldiers.

I will keep posting updates at the bottom.... then on new videos.

Instead of asking who attacked our troops, we should be asking why. 

Why are our troops there?

Regardless, this is to escalate further for sure. Whether these "groups" are Iran-backed or not, it's irrelevant, our soldiers have no business being in Syria or Iraq. The latter already asked us to leave.

ADDING

According to Al-Mayadeen, (news television channel based in the city of Beirut) most of the sites that were targeted by the US had been completely evacuated before the aggression.

AND...

According to Syrian sources, the power went out completely in Deir ez-Zor after the American attacks. It seems that the attacks damaged power lines and other infrastructure.

It's true, the residents of Syria are not particularly surprised by this. With the country facing a severe energy crisis, having stable electricity in homes is now considered a luxury. In Deir ez-Zor, there is only night lighting in a couple of streets, excluding the Iranian quarter.

So, the residents of remote Syrian cities have been accustomed to the absence of a centralized energy supply for quite some time now.

#Iran #Syria #USA

@rybar

AND

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd "Raytheon" Austin: 

Our forces launched “attacks” on 7 facilities, including more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria.

President Biden issued directives to take additional measures to hold the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and its affiliated militias accountable.

The strikes targeted the Quds Force and its associated militias.

and...

The White House: 

We believe the strikes were successful and we do not know how many militants may have been killed or injured.

We informed the Iraqi government before launching the strikes

The American planes were not harmed

The American response began tonight and will not end tonight

The strikes targeted command centers, missile and drone storage facilities, ammunition supply, and others

US president Joe Biden: 

The targeted facilities in Iraq and Syria are being used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and its affiliated militias to attack our forces

Our response that began today will continue at the times and places we choose

The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world

Let all those who might seek to harm us know that we will respond

also...  Syrian state television: 

Fire broke out inside the US forces base in the Konico gas field northeast of Deir ez-Zor.

and..

White House: 

We do not seek conflict with Iran or in the Middle East, but we will not hesitate to defend our troops.The targets were chosen to disrupt the capabilities of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the groups it supports.

and... The White House: Attacks against our forces[in the Middle East] must stop.