According to the report, Russian forces on Wednesday struck al-Tanf, a U.S. military base, where some 200 U.S. military personnel are stationed alongside local fighters in a bid to suppress a resurgence of the Islamic State. The report however states that Russia informed the U.S. of the attack through a communication line set long ago, suggesting it was not targeting American troops, but looking to harass U.S.-led coalition in Syria.

Despite no U.S. or coalition casualties, a U.S. military official described the operation as a „significant increase in provocation“ this month, the report said.