A missile attack was carried out against an American military base in the "Conoco" gas field. in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor, Syrian state media reported early this morning, as cited by Reuters.
U.S. officials said shortly afterward that the projectiles fired at the air base did not hit the facility and that no one was injured, but clarified that this was preliminary information and subject to change.
A security source earlier told Reuters that Iran-backed militias fired six projectiles at the base, all of which landed near it. He noted that the US-led coalition responded to the attack with artillery.
Lebanese pro-Iranian television "Al Mayadin" reported that after the attack, American warplanes flew intensively in the skies over Deir al-Zar province.
Company "Conoco Phillips" (ConocoPhillips) said it was aware of reports of damage at a US and coalition base in eastern Syria named "Conoco", but noted that its assets in Syria were sold in early 2000.
The Pentagon said yesterday that eight US service members were wounded in a drone attack on a base in Syria last week, naming for the first time a specific number of casualties in the attack.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the U.S. believes the attack was carried out by Iranian-backed forces and the Pentagon is trying to determine exactly who they were.
The United States says its 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in neighboring Iraq are advising and assisting local forces trying to prevent the rise of the Islamic State group, which in 2014 seized significant territory in both countries, but it was later largely destroyed.