Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched SIX ballistic missiles early Monday toward eastern Syria, targeting militants it blamed for an attack on a military parade in Iran last month while also threatening regional adversaries as Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers unravels.
Iran painted on the missiles seen for miles away “DEATH TO AMERICA”.
The launch saw the Guard fire missiles with enough range to strike regional U.S. military bases and targets inside both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran’s supreme leader has called out those two nations by name, accusing them of being behind the Sept. 22 attack on the parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz, something denied by both Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
The strike on Monday marked the second-such attack by Iran in a month’s time and highlighted the greater tension felt across the Mideast as U.S. sanctions targeting Tehran’s oil industry will take effect in early November.
“This is the roaring of missiles belonging to the Revolutionary Guard of the Islamic Revolution,” the state TV’s reporter said as the missiles launched behind him. “In a few minutes, the world of arrogance — especially America, the (Israeli) Zionist regime and the Al Saud — will hear the sound of Iran’s repeated blows.” Al Saud is a reference to Saudi Arabia’s royal family.
Iranian state TV and the state-run IRNA news agency said the missiles “killed and wounded” militants in Syria, without elaborating. Iran also launched drone attacks on the site afterward, the TV said. Syrian state media did not immediately acknowledge the strike.
Iranian TV identified the area from where the missiles were launched as in Iran’s western province of Kermanshah. It also aired a graphic, suggesting the missiles flew over central Iraq near the city of Tikrit before landing near the city of Boukamal in the far southeast of Syria.
Boukamal is held by forces loyal to Syria’s embattled President Bashar Assad. However, the city has been targeted even now by IS militants who have lost almost all the territory they once held in both Syria and Iraq.
Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told The Associated Press that the Iranian missiles hit the IS-held town of Hajin, just north of Boukamal.
Strong explosions shook the area in the early hours of Monday, reverberating east of the Euphrates River, he said. The area of Hajin and IS militants there have been under attack for weeks by U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters.
The U.S. military’s Central Command, which is aiding Kurdish forces, acknowledged that Iranian forces “did conduct no-notice strikes” in the area.
“At this time, the coalition is still assessing if any damage occurred and no coalition forces were in danger,” U.S. Army Col. Sean Ryan told the AP.
A Syria-based official with the so-called “Axis of Resistance” led by Iran, which includes Iran, Syria, the Lebanese militant Hezbollah and other groups fighting alongside Assad’s forces said the missiles hit “the last pocket held by Daesh” in Syria, using an Arabic term to refer to IS.
The official spoke to the AP via text messages from Syria on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to journalists. IS militants did not immediately acknowledge the attack.
The missile launch further adds to confusion over who carried out the assault on a military parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz on Sept. 22 that killed at least 24 people and wounded over 60.
We do not need rhetoric every time there is loss of life or blatant hatred of our beloved country. We need to show Iran who is the superpower who will do mostly anything to protect its nation and people.
Read Also: I’VE GOT YOUR SIX
About the author: Scott Bernstein is the CEO of Global Security International LLC headquartered in the Research Triangle of North Carolina. He has extensive experience as a Counterterrorist Consultant, International Apprehension Operative, Human & Sex Trafficking Expert and a Military and Law Enforcement Trainer. He is available as a Consultant and as a Speaker. In addition to his LinkedIn profile, you can also interact with Scott on his LinkedIn group http://bit.ly/1LMp2hj.
#Iran #Missile #Bernstein #Army #Syria #Militants
