US forces in Syria on high alert after attack on military base

Damascus: US forces across Syria have been placed on high alert following a midnight attack by Iranian-backed militias on one of its bases in the northeastern province of Hasakah, a war monitor reported on Saturday.

In the early hours of Saturday, an armed drone directly targeted the Kharab al-Jir base in the Rmelan area of Hasakah, leading to significant damage and fire within the facility, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attack has prompted the US-led International Coalition to bolster both logistical and military support to its bases across Syria, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

According to the observatory, US bases in Syria have been subjected to 135 attacks by Iranian-backed militias since October 19, 2023.

The majority of these assaults have focused on the Conoco gas plant, the al-Omar oil field base in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, and the al-Shaddadi base in the Hasakah countryside.

The recent escalation comes amid heightened tensions in northeastern Syria, with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) engaged in clashes with pro-Syrian government forces, leading to the SDF effectively chocking all routes to the government-controlled areas in Hasakah.

It also comes as Iran is expected to respond to Israel following the assassination of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.