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JINSA
NatSec Brief: October 27, 2023
United States
Undermines
Deterrent Value of Its
Strikes Against Iran-
linked Targets
Ari Cicurel
Assistant Director of Foreign Policy
Overnight on October 26, the United States conducted its first airstrikes against Iran-linked
targets since the start of the Israel-Gaza war on October 7. The U.S. airstrikes were clearly
intended to build deterrence against the Iranian regime and its proxies amid an Iran-backed
escalation against U.S. forces in the Middle East. Yet, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s
statement after the airstrikes and reporting that the Biden administration only launched the
strikes after learning of an American fatality undermined their deterrent value by indicating a
reluctance to use military force. Regardless of the cost that the recent U.S. airstrike imposed,
deterring Tehran and its proxy groups will require consistent and strong military force that holds
the Iranian regime directly accountable for the aggression it enables alongside a surge of air
defense assets to the Middle East that can better protect U.S. personnel and regional partners.
What Happened?
l Overnight on October 26, the United States “conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities
in eastern Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated
groups,” in response to the spate of Iran-backed attacks against U.S. military forces that
began on October 17, according to a statement from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
» Per U.S. officials, two U.S. F-16 aircraft struck weapons and ammunition storage
facilities in Syria, marking the 5th round of strikes against Iran-backed forces. The United
States did not coordinate with Israel about the strikes.
» A Senior U.S. military official also reportedly
claimed that the United States “know[s] that
there were people on the target at various points
during the day … we know that they were not
civilians.”
» According to officials who spoke with Politico,
the targets in in Syria, near Abu Kamal, were
chosen because the sites were connected to the
IRGC but had no civilian connection. The strikes
took place in Syria because the United States
does not request permission to launch airstrikes
in that country, whereas Iraq would require that.
l Over the past week, Iran-backed groups have
launched a spate of at least nineteen attacks on
U.S. forces, including multiple attacks in Iraq at facilities in Ain al-Asad, al-Harir, Erbil, and
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10
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Jan- 21
Feb-21
Mar-21
Apr-21
May-21
Jun-21
Jul-21
Aug-21
Sep -21
Oct-21
Nov-21
Dec-21
Jan- 22
Feb-22
Mar-22
Apr-22
May-22
Jun-22
Jul-22
Aug-22
Sep -22
Oct-22
Nov-22
Dec-22
Jan- 23
Feb-23
Mar-23
Apr-23
May-23
Jun-23
Jul-23
Aug-23
Sep -23
Oct-23
Number of Munitions Fired
Drone Short- and Med iu m -Range Rocket Morta r Other Projectile
February 25,
2021: Biden
ordered
airstrikes on the
infrastructure of
Iran-backed
groups in Syria.
June 27, 2021:
Biden ordered
airstrikes on the
infrastructure
of Iran-backed
groups in Syria
and Iraq.
August 24, 2022:
Biden ordered
airstrikes on the
infrastructure of Iran-
backed groups in
Syria. After U.S.
forces in Syria faced
additional rocket fire,
a second round of
airstrikes killed
militants.
August 25, 2022:
U.S. helicopters in
Syria carried out
another round of
strikes that killed
militants.
Iranian-linked Munitions Targeting U.S. Service
Members and Defense Contractors During the
Biden Administration
March 23, 2023:
U.S. airstrikes
target facilities
of an Iran-
aligned group
responsible for
a deadly drone
attack earlier
that day.
October 26, 2023:
U.S. airstrikes
target 2 facilities
in Syria connected
to the IRGC and
its proxies.
