Shafaq News/ US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces launched strikes on nine Iranian-aligned targets in Syria, hitting two locations linked to Iranian-backed groups in response to recent attacks on American personnel.

The strikes are part of a broader response to "several attacks on US personnel in Syria over the last 24 hours," according to a CENTCOM statement.

The operation is intended to “degrade” the Iranian-backed groups' "ability to plan and launch future attacks on U.S. and Coalition forces" involved in counter-ISIS missions in the region.

“Our message is clear,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander. “Attacks against US and coalition partners in the region will not be tolerated.” Kurilla stressed that CENTCOM would “continue to take every step necessary to protect our personnel and coalition partners and respond to reckless attacks.”

Last February, the Command said that US forces struck in Syria and Iraq, hitting forces of "Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups."

The tensions between Washington and Tehran in the region, particularly in Syria are largely rooted in the region’s geopolitical dynamics. A primary source of conflict is the Syrian Civil War, where the US has supported various opposition forces against President Bashar Al-Assad, while Iran has remained a strong ally of al-Assad.

Additionally, the presence of approximately 900 US troops in Syria, primarily stationed to support local forces against Al-Assad, has become a major point of contention. Iranian-backed forces have repeatedly targeted these troops, with recent escalations linked to the ongoing war in Gaza. The pro-Iranian group, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has launched dozens of attacks on US bases in both Iraq and Syria in response to the direct Amercian support of Israel.