Nine people working with Iranians, including at least three Syrians, were killed by airstrikes carried out by American warplanes on military headquarters and a weapons warehouse in Deir ez-Zor city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

SOHR reported that the death toll is likely to increase as some of those injured are in a critical condition, in addition to information about other deaths. The strikes also resulted in the destruction of weapons and ammunition.

Moreover, in the early hours of today, explosions were heard within Al-Omar oil field, in which the largest base of the “International Coalition” in Syria is located, following which American forces stationed there bombed the positions of the militias in Al-Mayadeen area east of Deir ez-Zor.

In recent weeks, US bases in Syria and Iraq have been increasingly exposed to attacks by Iran-affiliated militias organised under the umbrella of the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" group. According to the US government, the militias have carried out at least 40 attacks on US and coalition troops since 17 October, 22 of them in Iraq and 18 in Syria. The attacks with drones and missiles have not been successful and there have been "no serious injuries" to US soldiers, according to the US.

The attacks on Western troops in the region are fuelling concerns that the war in Israel could escalate into a major conflict. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, the security situation in the entire Middle East has been tense. As a deterrent, the US has sent additional troops to the region and deployed warships and air force squadrons to the eastern Mediterranean. Like many other Islamist militias, Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, is supported financially and with weapons by Iran.