The US carries out new strikes against facilities used by Iran in Syria. The United States launched attacks against a weapon storage facility in eastern Syria for the second time in recent weeks. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran and its affiliates used the site, according to the Pentagon.

Since the beginning of October, forces supported by Iran have targeted American and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria at least 40 times, escalating tensions over the Israel-Hamas war. Forty-five American soldiers had either minor wounds or catastrophic brain damage.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that two F-15 planes carried out the strikes in retaliation for recent attacks against American soldiers.

Austin said that the assaults on American soldiers had to end. “If attacks by Iran’s proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people,” said Austin.

Speaking under anonymity, a senior U.S. military officer stated that after observing the Deir al-Zor governorate site for some time, the military was sure there were no civilian casualties.

The military traced a “couple” of people overnight close to the plant, according to the official; it wasn’t believed that they were civilians, and it was still unclear whether anyone had died.

On occasion, after Iranian-backed troops in the area assaulted American soldiers, the U.S. retaliated with attacks of its own.

U.S. soldiers launched a strike on two IRGC and group locations on October 26. The United States maintains 900 soldiers in Syria and an additional 2,500 in neighboring Iraq to support and advise local forces attempting to thwart the Islamic State’s rebirth. The group briefly took control of substantial portions of both countries in 2014 before being routed.

Concerns about the Israel-Hamas war spreading throughout the Middle East and making American personnel stationed at remote outposts targets are rising. Earlier on Wednesday, the Houthi movement, which is allied with Iran, shot down an American MQ-9 drone over the Red Sea, close to Yemen.

According to officials, the drone was shot down when it was allegedly in international waters. Since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7, the US has dispatched fighter planes and warships, including two aircraft carriers, to the region to dissuade Iran and organizations that get support from Iran. Thousands more troops have been sent to the area.

According to Reuters, the U.S. military is considering evacuating military families in case it becomes necessary, and it is implementing additional precautions to safeguard its personnel in the Middle East amid the escalation of assaults by organizations allegedly supported by Iran.

According to authorities, the steps include expanding U.S. military patrols, limiting access to base installations, and enhancing intelligence gathering via drones and other monitoring forms.