the US response seen from Syria, Iraq and Russia

Washington accuses pro-Iranian groups of being behind the deadly attack against one of its bases at the end of January, and carries out retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria. A situation denounced by Moscow. Our correspondents detail the situation for us.

The United States carried out strikes against 85 targets at four sites in Syria and three in Iraq, targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Iran’s ideological army, and pro-Iranian armed groups, according to Washington. These strikes are a response to the attack, attributed by the United States, to groups supported by Iran, against one of their bases in Jordan which killed three American soldiers on January 28.

Syria is regularly struck by the United States, which targets pro-Iranian militias installed in the territory. In Iraq, the population fears an escalation of violence, while Russia immediately denounced these recent American strikes and obtained an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on February 5.

Syria: American strikes have been going on for years

The pro-Iranian militias installed on Syrian territory have become favored targets of Washington. Firstly because they threaten American interests, particularly oil, in the region, but above all because they directly attack the thousands of American soldiers deployed there. At the end of January, three American soldiers were killed on the Syrian-Jordanian border in an operation carried out by one of these militias. The armed groups controlled by Tehran are very numerous in Syria, they are allies of Bashar Al-Assad.

These mercenaries, mainly There are still more than 10,000 Iraqis and Lebanese today. They support the regime in its war against the rebels and control a large part of the territory. This attack on American soldiers led to a muscular response from Washington last weekend. LThe operation lasted around thirty minutes, four military sites were targeted and at least 23 pro-Iranian fighters died in the strikes.

The fear of a regional conflagration

For years, the United States has been striking pro-Iranian positions in Syria. MBut in the current context with the war in Gaza, some fear that this will trigger a regional conflagration. Since October 7, the United States has struck bases housing the Revolutionary Guards. Israel, Washington’s first ally, killed Iranian general Razi Mousavi in ​​Damascus at the end of December. Razi Moussavi was precisely in charge of coordinating all the factions supported by Tehran in the region. Ravaged by 13 years of war, Syria has become one of the main theaters of clashes, always indirect, between Iran and the United States.

Iraq: concern prevails in the country

Certain Iraqi armed groups, close to Iran, say they want to continue targeting the Americans and fear is spreading among the population. “At any time, at any moment, we can be attacked”explains Saif Adnan Kadhem, a street vendor in Baghdad.

Thousands of Iraqis have come from across the country to the capital for a pilgrimage in memory of Imam Moussa al-Kazim and many are worried about what could happen in the days to come. “Iraq has become the place to settle scores. People from outside come to resolve their conflicts here and innocent people are killed”deplores Aya. “They talk to us about sovereignty and security? Where is the sovereignty? Where is the security?”adds Hashem Adnan.

Iraqis are tired of being caught in the crossfire

The country is caught between Iran and the United States and the Iraqis explain the need to enforce Iraq’s sovereignty, after decades of war. “The United States must coordinate with the government, if there is an attack against them, they must avoid bombing and go through diplomatic channels”underlines Arkan Taher.

Discussions are underway to end the mandate of the international coalition against Daesh, which the Iraqi government wants to see go. A meeting with Iranian representatives took place, but in the meantime, the Iraqis still fear an escalation of violence.

Russia: the Kremlin obtains an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council

Moscow reacted immediately after the American strikes in Syria and Iraq. The Russian Foreign Ministry immediately denounced what it considers to be another blatant act of US-British aggression against sovereign states. The Russian government believes that the Anglo-Saxons threaten peace and security in the world and flout international law. Classic rhetoric in the Kremlin.

Russia then defends its Iranian ally by explaining that the targeted militias are not linked to Tehran, but that the American army would have targeted positions of the Syrian army which is fighting against the Islamic State. The Kremlin accuses Washington of offering protection to terrorists. Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations even believes that the United States is seeking to inflame the Middle East.

Protecting allies and diverting attention from Ukraine

Russia’s interest in calling for a Security Council meeting is twofold. On the one hand, Russia defends its allies in the region, that is to say the Syrian regime that Moscow has supported at arm’s length since 2015. On the other, Iran, which has not always been an ally of Russia, but the two countries have become enormously closer since the start of the war in Ukraine, both hit by major sanctions, and having a common enemy: the United States.

On the other hand, for Moscow, the Middle East is a horizon that allows it to divert the attention of the international community. The more we talk about it, the less we talk about Ukraine. The Kremlin had already exploited the war between Israel and Hamas in the same way, even if it meant sacrificing its relations with Tel Aviv. Anything that can make it possible to assert that the United States is flouting international law allows Moscow to impose its version of things, namely that Russia is fighting in Ukraine against Western hegemony and for its own protection.