U.S. Launches Retaliatory Airstrikes in Syria Transcript

We do begin tonight with the breaking news, US airstrikes and a weapons storage facility in Syria. The Pentagon, just a short time ago revealing the US has unleashed retaliatory strikes after Iranian backed forces targeted American troops in both Iraq and Syria for weeks since the Israel-Hamas war began. Tonight, Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, issuing a statement saying the strikes were conducted by two US F-15s targeting a weapons storage facility. ABC’s Chief Global Affairs correspondent, Martha Raddatz, leading us off tonight with what she’s learned.

Tonight, retaliation. US warplane striking a weapons facility in Syria after Iranian backed forces targeted American troops in Iraq and Syria with a barrage of drone and rocket attacks over the weekend, making at least 40 such attacks on Americans since mid-October, most of those intercepted and no serious injuries reported. This is the second time the US has launched these retaliatory airstrikes in response to attacks on American troops by Iran backed militants. On October 26, launching missiles into two weapon storage facilities in Syria. Just hours before these latest retaliatory attacks, one of the most serious provocations by Iranian back militants since the Israel-Hamas conflict began. A US defense official confirming that Houthi forces in Yemen shot down a US Reaper drone over waters off Yemen’s coast. The MQ-9 Reaper is one of the most sophisticated and expensive armed drones in the US arsenal. Just weeks ago, the USS Carney brought down four Houthi cruise missiles and more than a dozen drones aimed towards Israel from the Red Sea.

And Martha Raddatz with us live tonight. Martha, we know this evening’s US airstrikes of course, come at a time of extremely high tensions across the Middle East and concern here in the US.

Very high tensions, David. And while the US is trying to make sure the war in Israel does not spread, Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, saying in a statement tonight, “The United States is fully prepared to take further necessary measures to protect our people and our facilities.” David.

Martha Raddatz on the breaking developments tonight. Martha, thank you.