Eight pro-Iranian militants killed in US strikes in east Syriafollowing a drone strike that killed a US subcontractor and wounded five US soldiers, the NGO said today.

“US strikes were carried out on an arms depot in the city of Deir ez-Zor, as a result of which six pro-Iranian militants were killed. Two more militants were killed by strikes in the Mayadeen desert and near Al-Bukamal, ”added the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

What the American side says

The drone attack hit a US-led international coalition force base near Hasaka (northeast Syria) at 13:38 (local time; 1228 Greek time) yesterday Thursday, according to a press release released earlier by the Pentagon.

US intelligence agencies believe the UAV was of Iranian origin, the statement said.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the retaliatory airstrikes targeted organizations associated with the Revolutionary Guards, an elite military unit of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a key ally of Damascus in the war in Syria.

“The airstrikes were carried out in retaliation for the attack, as well as a series of recent attacks on (international counter-jihadist) coalition forces by organizations associated with the Revolutionary Guards,” Mr. Austin said, according to a US Department of Defense statement. .

^{Source: APE-MEB, AFP.}