International

US retaliates as suspected Iran drone kills US worker in Syria

Published

3 years ago

March 25, 2023

A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria, the Pentagon said. American forces said they retaliated soon after with “precision airstrikes” in Syria targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, with one activist group reporting the U.S. strikes killed fighters on the ground.

The attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days following years of turmoil.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim.

“The airstrikes were conducted in response to today’s attack as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria” by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, Austin said.

The Pentagon said two of the wounded service members were treated on-site, while three others and the injured contractor were transported to medical facilities in Iraq.

Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Syria’s Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iran-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.

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Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported that the American strikes killed six Iranian-backed fighters at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour. The Observatory, which relies on a network of local contacts in Syria, said U.S. bombing at a post near the town of Mayadeen killed another two fighters.

A separate American strike hit a military post near the town of Boukamal along the border with Iraq, the Observatory said. The AP could not immediately independently confirm the report.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.

In recent months, Russia has begun using Iranian drones in its attacks on sites across Ukraine as part of its war on Kyiv. Iran has issued a series of conflicting denials about its drones being used in the war, though Western nations and experts have tied components in the drones back to Tehran.

The exchange of strikes came as Saudi Arabia and Iran have been working toward reopening embassies in each other’s countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country’s long war.

U.S. Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the head of the American military’s Central Command, warned that American forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. “We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks,” Kurilla said in a statement.

Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the “Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago.” He pointed to Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.

Kurilla also alleged that Iran had launched some 78 attacks on U.S. positions in Syria since January 2021.

“What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies,” Kurilla said.

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Diplomacy to deescalate the crisis appeared to begin immediately around the strikes. Qatar’s state-run news agency reported a call between its foreign minister and Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Qatar’s foreign minister also spoke around the same time with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden.

“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” Austin said. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”

The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran. In February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022, Biden launched attacks there.

U.S. forces entered Syria in 2015, backing allied forces in their fight against the Islamic State group. The U.S. still maintains the base near Hasakah in northeast Syria where Thursday’s drone strike happened. There are roughly 900 U.S. troops, and even more contractors, in Syria, including in the north and farther south and east.

Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought “to make life difficult for US forces stationed east of the Euphrates,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

“Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area,” Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. “Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province.”

The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Syria’s war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

Naharnet

International

Trump Halts Minnesota Immigration Crackdown After Fatal Shootings, Protests

Published

2 days ago

February 12, 2026

Trends Admin

U.S President Donald Trump

Trump Halts Minnesota Immigration Crackdown After Fatal Shootings, Protests

The Trump administration has officially halted Operation Metro Surge, a controversial immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, following widespread protests, political backlash, and the deaths of two U.S. citizens. The decision was announced by Tom Homan, the U.S. “border czar,” who confirmed that President Donald Trump approved ending the monthslong crackdown.

Operation Metro Surge, launched in December 2025, focused on the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area, deploying nearly 3,000 federal immigration officers at its peak. The operation aimed to detain undocumented immigrants, which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described as targeting “criminal illegal aliens.” However, reports indicate that many detainees had no criminal records, including children and U.S. citizens, raising concerns about the operation’s scope and fairness.

The crackdown drew intense public opposition after anti-ICE protesters Renée Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot during separate incidents in Minneapolis. The shootings intensified calls for accountability and prompted local and national criticism of federal enforcement tactics.

In a statement, Homan said, “I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude.” He noted that a drawdown of federal personnel had already begun, with a smaller contingent remaining temporarily to transition operations and coordinate with local authorities.

During the operation, DHS reported over 4,000 arrests, though critics highlighted the disproportionate impact on communities and families, emphasizing the humanitarian and civil liberties concerns arising from the surge.

Minnesota officials, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, welcomed the decision, calling the operation an overreach that harmed communities and strained trust between law enforcement and residents. Civil rights groups also praised the halt but urged comprehensive immigration reforms to prevent future abuses.

The end of Operation Metro Surge marks a significant development in the national debate over immigration enforcement, sanctuary policies, and federal authority, highlighting the challenge of balancing border security with human rights and community safety.

Trump Halts Minnesota Immigration Crackdown After Fatal Shootings, Protests

International

Russia Escalates Digital Control with Attempted WhatsApp Block

Published

2 days ago

February 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Russia Escalates Digital Control with Attempted WhatsApp Block

WhatsApp has accused the Russian government of trying to completely block its messaging service in the country, a move aimed at steering users toward the state-backed app MAX. The Meta-owned platform said the effort, reported on February 12, 2026, threatens over 100 million users and undermines private, encrypted communication in Russia.

In a statement, WhatsApp said: “Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app. Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication … can only lead to less safety for people in Russia. We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected.”

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The attempt is part of a broader crackdown on foreign tech platforms in Russia. Authorities have previously restricted access to Facebook, Instagram, and targeted other services like Telegram. Reports indicate that Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator, removed WhatsApp from its national internet directory, forcing users to rely on VPNs to access the platform. Critics warn that such measures are designed to expand state surveillance and control over digital communication.

The government is actively promoting MAX, a domestic “super-app” similar to China’s WeChat, which combines messaging with other services. Rights advocates caution that the push toward MAX could compromise privacy protections that platforms like WhatsApp provide. Meanwhile, Kremlin officials have indicated that WhatsApp and other restricted apps could be restored if Meta complies with local data storage and regulatory laws.

WhatsApp’s statement emphasizes that the company will continue to work to keep its service accessible where possible, but the attempted block highlights Russia’s ongoing effort to enforce digital sovereignty and shift users toward state-controlled technology platforms.

Russia Escalates Digital Control with Attempted WhatsApp Block

International

Tumbler Ridge Massacre: Canada Investigates Shooter’s Mental Health, Police History

Published

2 days ago

February 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Tumbler Ridge Massacre: Canada Investigates Shooter’s Mental Health, Police History

Canadian authorities are intensifying investigations into the mental health history and prior police interactions of Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old who carried out a deadly mass shooting in the remote mining town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on February 10, 2026. The tragedy has left the small community in mourning and raised national questions about gun control, mental health support, and law enforcement interventions.

According to RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, authorities are still unclear on the motive behind the attack, which is one of the deadliest school shootings in Canadian history. Van Rootselaar, a transgender woman who had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School four years ago, first killed her mother and stepbrother before opening fire at the school, where she shot six more victims. The shooter later took her own life at the scene.

Investigators have confirmed that Van Rootselaar was known to police and had previous interactions with the public health system due to mental health concerns. Authorities are reviewing prior incidents, including earlier firearms seizures and her lapsed gun licence, to understand how warning signs were addressed before the massacre. British Columbia Premier David Eby said officials are working with the health system to determine “what interactions may have taken place” in the past.

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The victims include a 39-year-old female teacher and five students aged 12 and 13, with one child, 12-year-old Maya Gebala, in critical condition after trying to lock herself and classmates in a library during the attack. First responders arrived within minutes, but the scale of the violence left the tight-knit community of about 2,700 residents reeling. Hundreds gathered for a candlelight vigil to honour those killed and injured.

Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed parliament, describing Tumbler Ridge as a resilient, compassionate community of miners, teachers, and construction workers, and emphasised the need to learn from the tragedy. Flags across Canada have been lowered to half-staff for seven days in remembrance of the victims. Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla also expressed shock and sorrow over the massacre.

Schools in the area will remain closed for the remainder of the week as authorities continue their investigation into Van Rootselaar’s mental health background, police interactions, and access to firearms, seeking to understand how similar tragedies can be prevented in the future.