US-Iranian confrontation field extends to Syria: new transformation or messages of pressure?

A spokesman for the US-led Global Coalition against ISIS confirmed on June 28 that US forces in Syria were subjected to multiple missile attacks, denying any casualties.

Colonel Wayne Marato, tweeted: "At approximately 7:44 pm local time, US forces in Syria were subjected to multiple missile attacks. There are no casualties and damage is assessed."

Al-Omar oil field in Deir Ezzor countryside, which houses US forces as part of the Global Coalition against ISIS, was hit by a missile on Monday evening (28th of this month), according to media outlets.

This bombing came hours after the Iraqi "Hezbollah" Brigades vowed to respond to the killing of a number of its fighters following US raids on facilities on the Iraqi-Syrian border. The US Department of Defense said that "the militias use them in drone attacks against American personnel and facilities."

And the US Department of Defense (Pentagon), at dawn on Monday, June 28, announced the launch of air strikes on facilities used by Iranian-backed groups on the Iraqi-Syrian border.

In a statement, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, "At the direction of President Joe Biden, the US military has conducted precision defensive air strikes on facilities used by Iranian-backed armed groups in the Iraq-Syria border region. The targets were selected for the use of these facilities by backed militias from Iran, which is participating in drone attacks against American personnel and facilities in Iraq.”

"As these strikes have shown, President Biden has been clear that he will not stand still to protect American personnel," the Pentagon spokesman added.

new transformation

In this context, Dr. Iyad Al-Majali, a researcher in international relations, said: "We are facing a new transformation and a different approach to the administration of President Biden, which seems to have already begun to escalate towards Iran after Ibrahim Raisi won the results of the presidential elections."

The first major speech known for his hardship carried direct messages to the international community and the United States, in which he stressed that the policy of his future government will support negotiations on the nuclear agreement in Vienna, but it will not link Iran's future with it, and will not accept that negotiations are draining, and announced his refusal to negotiate on the ballistic missile program. and Iranian influence abroad.

In an exclusive statement to our agency, Dr. Majali said that "the escalation, which appears to be a very dangerous response in the form of intense air strikes targeting weapons depots and drones, to sites and facilities belonging to Iranian militias and the Popular Mobilization Forces on the Iraqi-Syrian border in two locations in the Al-bukamal area, east of Deir ez-Zor and between the city of Al-Qaim." Iraqi borders.

He added, "The mutual attacks between the US forces and the Iranian militias come in the context of the escalation that each party justifies for deterrence from the American side and to convey a symbolic message that it is defending itself to prevent further Iranian attacks or threaten the interests of the United States and its personnel in the region, in addition to the President's administration Biden wants to cut off the doubt that she will not falter or slacken in responding to any Iranian threat, which is confirmed by the direct decision for these strikes came directly from President Biden personally.

push messages

Hani Suleiman, an expert on Iranian affairs and Gulf Studies, pointed out that “the exchange of bombing by Iranian and American forces in Syria and also on the Iraqi borders confirms that there are areas of disagreement, although President Joe Biden wants to reach a nuclear agreement, and he calmed down more than once with the Iranian side, but while regarding the issue of militias, especially inside Syria and Iraq, I think there is a message he wants to convey that there is no truce in this matter. This can be used to pressure Tehran regarding the negotiations of the nuclear agreement.

He explained that "this escalation was sudden and there were no introductions, but the American forces announced that it was a response to targeting American targets in the region and attacking Washington's special interests in the region in the recent period."

Regarding the aims of the two sides, Suleiman said: "As for the American side, it wants to send a strong message in reverse and sympathy with the negotiations of the nuclear agreement, and also wants to emphasize that there is no complacency regarding Iranian behavior."

As for the Iranian side, according to Suleiman, "it wants to emphasize that Iran is able to stand up to American attacks and that we have tools and militias capable of repelling and deterrence, and this message is important from the Iranian side, especially in light of the presence of a new president and the failure that has occurred since the killing of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Iraq. Therefore Iran, wants to emphasize its power, dominance, and ability to respond, and these are important messages for the regime that it is passing on to Washington at this time.

The field extends to Syria

Despite the frequent clashes between US forces and Iranian-backed forces, what is new is the Iranian response inside Syrian territory.

The Syrian Democratic Forces announced that their units were subjected to missile attacks, which they described as dangerous, in the vicinity of the Al-Omar oil field in Deir ez-Zor governorate.

The media center of the Syrian Democratic Forces published a statement about the missile attacks in Deir ez-Zor, in which it said that advanced military bases to fight ISIS were subjected yesterday to "dangerous missile attacks", in the Al-Omar field area in Deir ez-Zor countryside, and indicated that the damage was limited to material losses only.

In a statement on its official page, the center added that the SDF "carried out several precautionary operations in the surrounding areas, to prevent any movements that may be carried out by ISIS terrorist cells."

Concerning the shift of the clash to Syrian territory, Suleiman said: "With regard to the field of confrontations, Iran has always used Iraq as a back garden for confronting Washington against the background of the American attacks in Iraq and the strong militia presence of the Iranian side, but these attacks are a qualitative shift considering that they came from the Syrian side, but in In my opinion, it was not far from Iraq, considering that it was on the Iraqi-Syrian border. Therefore, they may not be separated from each other, but the Syrian targeting is new, and this indicates that the field of battle is a candidate for expansion."

He added: "Although Iraq is an American priority par excellence, there was no conflict between Washington and Tehran or the Russian side over influence as much as in Iraq, there was only a specific area on which the American forces focused, which is east of the Euphrates, and there was no space for confrontations or a major conflict, but the clash inside Syria in this way, confirms that there is a possibility of an American presence and great deterrence on the Syrian side. This may be motivated by coordination with the Israeli side, especially with the meeting of Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, with Biden during the previous days.

Facing specific goals and milestones

On the course of this escalation, Suleiman said: "I think that the escalation will not continue. There will be lightning, targeted operations and landmarks launched by the American forces. You know very well what you want and will stop at this matter and limit, and there will be no further escalation, and the Iranian response is a response to save face and try to reduce losses." Preserving the Iranian state and the shape of the regime, but this will not last much.”

He added, "We will find such confrontations from time to time, as was the case with the Israeli-Iranian confrontations. This will not continue, nor will it end, and it will be a reflection of other files such as the nuclear agreement or others."

A tangle complicates the Syrian crisis

On the impact of this on the Syrian file, Hani Suleiman said: “It is certainly a negative impact in a large way in light of the intertwining and complexity of the scene in the Syrian file, in which Syrian sovereignty is at stake and state institutions have a big problem, and therefore this amount of interference and inter- interests will negatively affect any opportunities for settlement. comprehensive of the Syrian crisis.

(A)

ANHA