[News] Al-Tanf: The US stronghold in Syria and how it safeguards Israel

[Anti-Imperialist News]

 Al-Tanf: The US stronghold in Syria and how it safeguards Israel

The US coalition's mission against ISIS quickly transformed into a broader
strategy to occupy parts of Syria, with the Al-Tanf base being crucial for
securing influence and supporting Israeli interests amidst increasing local
resistance.

Haidar Mustafa <https://thecradle.co/authors/haidar-mustafa>

DEC 2, 2024 -
https://thecradle.co/articles/al-tanf-the-us-stronghold-in-syria-and-how-it-safeguards-israel
Photo Credit: The Cradle

On 10 September 2014, the US announced the formation of an international
coalition
<https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-political-affairs/bureau-of-counterterrorism/the-global-coalition-to-defeat-isis/#:~:text=On%20September%2010%2C%202014%2C%20the,Iraq%20and%20Syria%20(ISIS).>
with the participation of 86 countries to eradicate the terrorist group
ISIS, which had declared
<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28082962> the establishment of
a “caliphate” in late June.

The coalition's operations began in Syria and Iraq in early 2015. However,
what unfolded was more than just a campaign against terrorism; it became a
vehicle for advancing US strategic ambitions in West Asia – including the
establishment of illegal military bases
<https://thecradle.co/articles/the-other-occupation-us-forces-in-syria> to
secure influence and resources in eastern Syria, primarily to protect the
interests of its key ally, Israel.

*Exploiting the war for geostrategic gains*

Washington leveraged the anti-ISIS campaign to pursue broader geostrategic
goals, deploying roughly 2,000 troops into Syria – an occupation that
violated international law and Syrian sovereignty. By 2016, US forces had
established a presence at Al-Tanf <https://thecradle.co/articles-id/3239>,
a strategically important base located at the tri-border area between
Syria, Iraq, and Jordan. This position, south of the Euphrates River,
overlooks a critical supply route from Tehran to Damascus and Beirut, which
the US views as significant for regional control.

The Al-Tanf base was originally established in 1991 before the Second Gulf
War, reactivated during the 2003 Iraq invasion, and then closed after US
forces consolidated control in Iraq. It reopened in 2016 after ISIS was
driven from the area.

Since then, Al-Tanf has served not only as a training ground for fighters
of the CIA-backed Maghawir al-Thawra but also as a cornerstone of broader
US interests, as Colonel Daniel Magruder Jr. noted in a 2020 Brookings
Institution report
<https://www.brookings.edu/articles/al-tanf-garrison-americas-strategic-baggage-in-the-middle-east/>
entitled *Al Tanf garrison: America’s strategic baggage in the Middle East*
.

According to Magruder, Al-Tanf was meant to facilitate the continued fight
against ISIS, counter Iranian activities, and maintain leverage in
negotiations over Syria's future.

However, the base's role went far beyond these stated goals. US occupation
forces at Al-Tanf engaged in both offensive and defensive intelligence
operations while also supporting armed groups against the Syrian
government.

The base acted as a hub for the Military Operations Center (MOC), a joint
effort with several states aimed at coordinating military activities in
southern Syria, ultimately undermining Syrian sovereignty and its allies.

*The real strategic goal: A buffer zone for Israel*

Beyond its military role, Al-Tanf's strategic location supports plans for a
controlled buffer zone involving the nearby Rukban refugee camp. Military
expert Major General Muhammad Abbas told *The Cradle* that this buffer
would help US and Israeli objectives by creating a physical barrier between
Syria and Iraq.

The base also facilitates Israeli operations in Syrian airspace, providing
a logistical advantage for air force missions that circumvent Syrian air
defenses. The collaboration between the US and the occupation state has
been well documented, with Al-Tanf serving as a launching point for Israeli
air strikes deep inside Syria – attacks that would be far riskier from
other approaches due to Syrian anti-aircraft systems.

A 2021 report by the Washington Institute
<https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/future-al-tanf-garrison-syria>
highlighted how the US occupying presence at Al-Tanf has directly benefited
Israel, supporting its “battle between wars
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/24198>” – a strategic approach aimed at
minimizing risk and exploiting weaknesses in Syrian defenses.

Speaking to *The Cradle*, political analyst Bassem al-Shehawi notes that
the US presence in Syria has always aligned with safeguarding Israel,
whether by severing geographical links between members of the Axis of
Resistance or by deploying advanced radar and air defense systems to
protect Tel Aviv’s interests.

*Al-Tanf’s importance for the US and Israel  *

Crucially, it also facilitates Israeli air force attacks on targets deep
inside Syria – attacks that could not have been carried out from above
Lebanon or the occupied Golan Heights due to the distance involved. Since
2018, when Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli F-16
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/2/10/israeli-f-16-jet-shot-down-by-syria-fire-says-military>,
Israeli forces have completely avoided entering Syrian airspace from the
western side.

Shehawi adds that this base's importance comes from its buffer zone and air
umbrella, which have a radius of 55 kilometers. These were established due
to the non-conflict understanding between Russia and the US regarding
Syria. The base also played a role in confronting drone and missile attacks
launched by Iran during Operations True Promise 1 and 2
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/27113>, whether by providing radar
monitoring or attempting to shoot them down, similar to the role played by
other US bases in Syria and the wider region.

A report published by *Al-Monitor* also confirms that Israeli fighter
planes had previously used the corridor along the Jordanian–Syrian border
and the airspace around Al-Tanf to penetrate Syrian airspace to launch
strikes.

The significance of Al-Tanf was evident during the presidency of Donald
Trump, who often spoke of pulling US troops out of Syria. However, the
situation on the ground was more nuanced. Even as Trump made public
declarations about withdrawing troops
<https://thecradle.co/articles/the-terrorism-pretext-a-us-isis-kurdish-nexus-preserves-us-occupation-of-syria>,
officials within his administration, including former National Security
Advisor John Bolton, ensured that key positions like Al-Tanf remained
secure. Bolton stated that any withdrawal from Syria would be conditional
on an agreement with Russia to replace US forces at Al-Tanf, thereby
ensuring that Israeli security interests were safeguarded.

*The future of the US occupation of Syria *

With Trump poised to return to the White House next month, questions have
resurfaced about the future of American military involvement in Syria. The
expectation is that despite any renewed rhetoric about reducing military
involvement, Al-Tanf will remain a key asset in maintaining US influence in
Syria and the region.

In 2023, former Chief of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley visited
<https://www.voanews.com/a/syria-mission-is-worth-the-risk-top-us-general-says-after-visit/6989941.html>
Al-Tanf, emphasizing its importance for Israel's security and confirming
that there were no plans to withdraw. Al-Tanf will likely continue to play
a key role in Washington’s West Asia strategy, even if it reduces its
presence elsewhere in Syria.

The base serves as a strategic card – enabling continued influence,
fostering instability, and complicating the region's dynamics. Yet, a
critical question remains: How sustainable is the US presence at Al-Tanf,
given the growing resistance? With Iraqi and local Syrian factions
<https://thecradle.co/articles/us-army-intensively-surveils-iraq-syria-border-to-stifle-resistance-report>
increasingly targeting US positions, Washington's ability to maintain
control over Al-Tanf may weaken.

In time, Syria might leverage its own “Popular Resistance” to apply
pressure, forcing US forces to eventually leave Syrian territory, as
indicated earlier in the year with the tribal uprising
<https://thecradle.co/articles/syrias-arab-tribes-revolt-us-bases-and-allies-become-prime-targets>
in Deir Ezzor.
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