30 January 2024 , 08:08
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A US general has issued a chilling warning that Iran's '"proxy war" is making ISIS a bigger and stronger threat - after attacks grew a staggering 200 per cent.
Major General Joel Vowell, the head of the United States-led coalition fighting Islamic State, admitted there had been a huge increase in suspected attacks by the group in the past three months.
Vowell, who leads Operation Inherent Resolve, confirmed that since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, Iran-backed militias have increased and targeted their attempted strikes on US bases across the region - including the deadly drone attack that killed three American troops in Jordan on Sunday and injured dozens more.
According to The Times, Vowell said strikes have forced "counter-ISIS" troops to focus on defence. “All that focus has allowed, at the tactical level, Daesh [Isis] cells to start doing more things,” he said. “We have seen an uptick in attacks in Syria and Iraq in the last 60 days in particular.”
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ISIS is now a "bigger threat" (Anadolu via Getty Images)The White House has played down the prospect of the attacks leading to a wider conflict with Iran despite promising a "very consequential response."
John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, said: “We are not looking for a war with Iran. We are not seeking conflict with the regime in Tehran. I will not get ahead of the president’s decision… Clearly, these attacks continue and now they’ve had lethal consequences.”
The comments come as Israel launched strikes against targets in Syria, reportedly killing eight people, including pro-Iran fighters.
Attacks in the region have increased 200 per cent (Anadolu via Getty Images)Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told the AFP news agency: “Three Israeli missiles targeted a base belonging to Hezbollah and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the Sayyida Zeinab district” south of Damascus.
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Meanwhile, the Syrian defence ministry also reported an "air attack" and blamed Israel for being responsible for it. They claimed the strikes happened at 1pm local time. In a statement on social media, it confirmed "a number of Iranian advisers" were killed.
Syrian defence ministry also reported an "air attack" and blamed Israel for being responsible (IRANIAN ARMY OFFICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)The attack came as US officials were seeing signs of progress in negotiations to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas to release the more than 100 remaining hostages being held in Gaza in exchange for an extended pause in fighting. While contours of a deal under consideration would not end the war, Americans believed that it could lay the groundwork for a durable resolution to the conflict.
Qatar ’s prime minister said Monday that senior U.S. and Mideast mediators had achieved a framework proposal to present to Hamas for freeing hostages and pausing fighting in Gaza.
Prime Minister Mohammed al-Thani’s comments at the Atlantic Council in Washington came after talks Sunday in Paris among U.S., Israeli, Qatari, and Egyptian officials seeking a new round of hostage releases and a cease-fire in Gaza.