Iran retaliation feared: US reinforces Syria bases
Shafaq News/ The US military has raised alert levels at several bases in Syria amid escalating fears of Iranian escalation following Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, which targeted Iranian nuclear and military facilities, a Syrian source told Shafaq News on Saturday.
US forces recently moved advanced radar and air defense systems from Iraq into northeastern Syria. The two-week operation involved over 100 trucks crossing the al-Waleed border into Hasakah province.
Late Friday, flares illuminated the sky above the Khrab al-Jeer base near Rmelan—previously hit by rocket and drone attacks allegedly launched from Iraqi territory—as US defenses reportedly intercepted an Iranian drone targeting the site.
Security concerns are intensifying as regional actors fear Iran-aligned groups, particularly factions within the Axis of Resistance, may once again launch attacks from Iraqi territory targeting US positions inside Syria.
US troops at key locations—including al-Shaddadi, Deir ez-Zor, and al-Tanf in southeastern Homs—have been placed on high alert, with heightened security measures in place across all installations.
While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Israel acted independently, he noted Washington was informed in advance and warned Tehran against striking US personnel or assets in response.
Meanwhile, an Iraqi security official told Shafaq News that over 700 US nationals—mostly embassy staff and contractors—have been evacuated from the US Embassy in Baghdad over the past 48 hours as a precaution.
