As fears of a possible third world war escalate due to the immense back and forth fighting between the United States and Iran, more bloodshed comes as a result. A new report reveals that eight pro-Iran militia members in Syria were killed by a missile strike.
Express reports that eight people who are reportedly from the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force were killed from a missile strike at the border between Iraq and Syria. The Hashed al-Shaabi is known for supporting the Iran militia. However, the identity of the aircraft responsible for the missile strike has yet to be determined.
The missile reportedly hit the arms depots in the Boukamal area at the border, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman. The strike resulted in an explosion, but there has been no confirmation of the attack on both the Iraqi and Syrian sides. This is the latest attack resulting from the constant back and forth between the United States military and the militia in Iran and its other militant groups that support them. Towards the end of 2019, Washington deployed troops to run airstrikes on five facilities in Iraq and Syria.
The airstrike resulted in the deaths of 25 members of a Tehran-backed Shiite militia, which is also in support of Iran. The airstrikes were the country’s response to many threats of aggression from the Shiite militia group Kataeb Hezbollah. The escalated tensions resulted in the death of Iran’s second-most-powerful military general Qassem Soleimani, who led the Quds force. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at United States bases in Baghdad but resulted in zero casualties.
Meanwhile, a former aide to Donald Trump revealed to Express that Iran has been at war with the United States since 1979 when the Islamic nation invaded the sovereign territory of the US embassy. Dr. Sebastian Gorka, the former aide and strategist of the Trump administration, went on to explain that the incident in 1979 resulted in 52 Americans held captive for two years until 1981. “They started this war. President Trump will finish it,” said Gorka.
Gorka was referring to the 1979 Iranian revolution, which the student supporters of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini were responsible for holding the 52 Americans and diplomats hostage. They were eventually released in 1981, minutes after President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office as the new Head of State.