Unidentified Planes Attack East Syria, Targeting Shi’ite Militias

Mayadin attacks described as hitting 'pro-Iranian' militias

Syrian military sources are reporting that unidentified military planes entered Syrian airspace and attacked a militia base in the city of Mayadin. Casualty figures are unknown, but locals reported ambulances rushing back and forth from the base.

The militia was described as a “pro-Iranian militia,” which doesn’t necessarily mean Iranian. Often militias in this part of Syria are Shi’ite groups from Iraq. Indeed subsequent reports are that several Iraqi militias are operating in Mayadin. Mayadin was an ISIS-held town during the caliphate, before being taken by the US and Kurdish forces.

As far as the unidentified planes, the immediate suspect is always Israel when the target is Shi’ites. The US coalition might similarly attack, though the US would tend to claim responsibility early on, and so far no one has.

Israel, by contrast, often refuses to comment on its attacks, particularly when they are reported in the foreign press. Israeli officials generally concede to having launched hundreds of strikes on “Iran” within Syria, but try to avoid responsibility for individual strikes.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.