Iranian forces target unidentified drones over eastern Syria - report

Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias targeted unidentified drones that were spotted flying over Al-Bukamal in eastern Syria on Friday after unidentified aircraft attacked the area on Thursday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).Sites controlled by Iran in Al-Bukamal have been targeted multiple times by airstrikes in recent months. A strategic border crossing between Iraq and Syria is located in the area.Iranian forces and militias loyal to them are fortifying their positions in the Deir ez-Zor area in eastern Syria where Al-Bukamal is located, according to the SOHR. In September, at least 37 militants were killed in two airstrikes which also destroyed vehicles, ammunition depots, weapons and buildings in the Al-Bukamal area. Many of those killed were of Iraqi nationality.The attacks in the Al-Bukamal area have been blamed on both Israel and Saudi Arabia."Saudi fighter jets have been spotted along with other fighter jets that have attacked facilities and positions belonging to Iranian militias," said an unnamed source to the Independent in Arabic. The attacks targeted positions belonging to the Quds force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in Albukamal and other areas near the Iraq-Syria border.Saudi sources later denied the report, according to the Independent.On September 9, airstrikes allegedly carried out by Israel destroyed a military base in the area under Iranian control, according to the SOHR.Rockets were fired at Israel from the outskirts of Damascus by a Shi’ite militia operating under the command of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Quds Force after the attack on September 9.Seth J. Frantzman contributed to this report.