The strikes carried out by U.S. military Thursday against two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and groups it backs in response to a spate of attacks against U.S. forces in both Iraq and Syria won't deter Iran from more attacks, says retired Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt.
"The crews did beautifully taking those bombs, and throwing them at those ammo dumps went perfectly well, except for the problem is that's not defending ourselves. That's not taking these massive attacks that have been wrought on our people and injured them and exacting reciprocity of any kind," Holt said Friday during an appearance on Newsmax's "Chris Salcedo Show."
"It certainly doesn't deter Iran, who doesn't seem unblemished by it with an attack on Al-Asad Airbase this morning, so I think we'll see more of this.
"But let's remember what the Iranians said getting back to the ground incursion and now into Gaza. If the ground forces of Israel went in, they said they'd be in the war. They have a big exercise underway; I take them at the word."
As tensions soar over the Israel-Hamas conflict, U.S. and coalition troops have been attacked at least 19 times in Iraq and in Syria by Iran-backed forces in the past week.
A total of 21 U.S. forces have suffered minor injuries, the vast majority of them traumatic brain injuries.
"These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
The strikes were ordered by President Joe Biden.
Retired U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer said the U.S. response was not enough.
"This was a pinprick when we are being attacked across the board," he told Newsmax.
"If I were in charge, I would advise massive attacks across the board at all Iranian positions at once. First, to remind them we can come whack you and whack you very hard if we choose to do so, followed up with a strongly stated declarative threat saying, 'If you continu, you will suffer consequences.'"
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.