US exits two military sites in Syria as regional conflict escalates
Shafaq News/ The United States conducted a tactical evacuation of troops from two military positions in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province due to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, a source from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confirmed on Thursday.
The withdrawal affected the Istirahat al-Wazir and Tel Baydar bases, which lack advanced defensive systems, placing US personnel at increased risk as missile exchanges between Tehran and Tel Aviv continue in Syrian airspace, the source told Shafaq News.
More than 100 trucks carrying military hardware and logistical supplies crossing from Iraq through the Al-Waleed border point toward US-led Coalition bases in Hasakah.
Earlier, Syrian sources indicated that the US military activated defense systems and implemented precautionary measures in coordination with Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
A source close to US forces in Syria revealed to Shafaq News in April that the Pentagon had launched a new military redeployment plan, aimed at reinforcing its presence in Kurdish-controlled parts of Hasakah while reducing its overall footprint in northeast Syria.
This marks the first on-the-ground confirmation of the US exit from the Istirahat al-Wazir and Tel Baydar bases, raising to at least four the number of positions vacated by American forces since President Donald Trump took office.
The Trump administration announced earlier this month that it would scale down its military presence in Syria from eight bases to just one in areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
While the SDF did not disclose how many US troops remain or which bases are still active, SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi told Reuters that the presence of only a few hundred troops 'would not be enough' to contain the threat posed by ISIS. 'The threat of Islamic State has significantly increased recently. But this is the US military's plan. We've known about it for a long time ... and we're working with them to make sure there are no gaps and we can maintain pressure on Islamic State,' Abdi said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Moscow declares 'Catastrophic' fallout if US uses nukes in Iran
Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Kremlin warned that any use of tactical nuclear weapons by the United States against Iran would lead to catastrophic consequences. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS news agency that while recent speculation in the media has been extensive, the idea itself is alarming. 'This would be a catastrophic development,' Peskov said. 'But there are so many speculations that in fact, it's impossible to comment on them.' American media outlets had earlier reported that US officials are considering the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons to strike Iran's underground uranium enrichment site at Fordow. Meanwhile, Russian officials issued a separate warning against any military action near Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, saying it could cause a disaster comparable to Chernobyl. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed concern for the safety of Russian personnel stationed at the site. The White House has not confirmed any plans for intervention but said President Donald Trump will decide within two weeks whether the US will join the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Israeli jets target Tehran nuclear military sites, Iran barrage hits Israel
Shafaq News/ The Israeli military announced on Friday that its air force launched extensive overnight airstrikes targeting dozens of military facilities in and around the Iranian capital, Tehran. According to a statement, more than 60 fighter jets participated in the operation, dropping approximately 120 munitions on sites linked to Iran's defense and nuclear infrastructure. The Israeli army said the strikes focused on industrial facilities used for missile production, describing them as longstanding strategic hubs for Iran's Ministry of Defense. The targets included factories producing missile components and raw materials for rocket engines. The military also confirmed it struck the headquarters of SEPAND — Iran's Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research — established in 2011 by Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the scientist widely regarded as the architect of Iran's military nuclear program. In addition, another facility reportedly involved in the production of key components for Iran's nuclear weapons program was hit. #عاجل ❌جيش الدفاع استكمل شن سلسلة غارات في قلب طهران: استهداف عشرات الاهداف من ضمنها مواقع تصنيع عسكرية لانتاج صواريخ ومقر مؤسسة البحث والتطوير في مشروع السلاح النووي الايراني⭕️شنت أكثر من 60 طائرة حربية لسلاح الجو خلال ساعات الليلة الماضية غارات استهدفت عشرات الاهداف العسكرية… — افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) June 20, 2025 Israel said its air defenses intercepted and downed four Iranian drones launched toward Israeli territory during the night. Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that Iran launched a fresh wave of missile attacks on southern Israel on Thursday as part of its ongoing retaliatory campaign, 'True Promise 3.' According to Israeli Channel 12, one missile struck the city of Beersheba, causing significant damage and civilian injuries.
Iraqi News
4 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Can NATO keep Trump on-message about Russia threat?
Brussels – When leaders from NATO's 32 countries gather for a summit in The Hague next week, most want to send a clear message: Russia is the main threat to their alliance. But the loudest voice in the room likely won't be on the same page. Since coming back to office, US President Donald Trump has upended the West's approach towards Russia's war on Ukraine by undercutting Kyiv and opening the door to closer ties with Moscow. While the volatile leader has expressed some frustration with Russia's Vladimir Putin for refusing a ceasefire, he has steered clear of punishing the Kremlin. At a G7 summit this week Trump made waves by saying the group of industrialised countries should never have expelled Russia. Ahead of the Hague gathering, diplomats at NATO have been wrangling over a five-paragraph summit statement, with many countries pressing for a full-throated assertion of the menace from Moscow. That, they say, will help explain the main thrust of the meeting: an agreement for countries to ramp up defence spending to satisfy Trump's demand for it to reach five percent of GDP. – Statement on Russia 'threat' – Since the Kremlin launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the alliance has called Russia 'the most significant and direct threat to allies' security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area'. But this time around the United States — backed up by Moscow-friendly Hungary and Slovakia — has been intent on watering that down. Diplomats have been juggling with variants such as referring to 'threats, including Russia' or mentioning 'the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security'. The verbal nuances may seem slight, but they mean a lot to those countries being asked to massively ramp up spending and those on NATO's eastern flank most threatened by the Kremlin. NATO has warned that Russia could be ready to attack an alliance country within five years. 'If we can get Trump to sign off on calling Russia a long-term threat then that would be a good result,' a senior European diplomat told AFP. – 'Near threat' – As US peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine have stalled, the diplomat said that Washington appeared to have 'moved a centimetre in our direction' on taking a stronger stance on Russia. 'Of course more hawkish countries want to go further — but just getting Trump to agree that would still be fine,' the diplomat said. Part of the US reasoning is that Washington is more worried about the threat China poses worldwide — and that Russia is more a problem just in Europe. 'Russia is the near threat,' said US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker. 'But China is obviously a big challenge for all of us, and we need to be allied and address those threats as well.' Camille Grand of the European Council on Foreign Relations said that beneath the diplomatic fine-tuning, NATO was being confronted by a 'fundamental question'. 'How does the United States view Russia?' he said. 'So far we haven't really got an answer.' Even if NATO does opt for stronger wording on Moscow, there is always the possibility that Trump could show up in The Hague and directly contradict it. But the debate could come into sharper focus in the months after the summit when the United States could announce a pull-back of forces in Europe as part of a review of its global deployments. – Division on Ukraine – One area where Washington appears clearly not on board with most other allies is on backing Ukraine. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is set to attend on the sidelines of the summit but his involvement is being kept to a minimum to avoid a bust-up with Trump. Diplomats said there should be a reference in the summit statement linking new defence spending to helping Ukraine — but there will be no talk of Kyiv's long-term push to join NATO. 'The US does not see Ukrainian security as essential to European security,' said Kurt Volker, a former US ambassador to NATO. 'Our European allies do, so they feel that if Putin is allowed to prevail in Ukraine, or if Ukraine does not survive as a sovereign, independent state, they are at risk.'
