Airstrikes over eastern Syria near Iraqi border kills six Iran-backed militants

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — Two members of Iraqi militia groups have told The Associated Press that three overnight airstrikes on eastern Syria near a strategic border crossing with Iraq killed six Iran-backed militants, The strikes early Saturday on the border region of Boukamal came hours after an umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militants — known as the Islamic Resistance — claimed an attack on a U.S. military base in northern Iraq. Four of the killed were from Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah group while the other two militants were Syrian, the militants said. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Washington did not immediately comment on the strike.