U.S. A-10 Warthogs ‘Rain Hell’ On Iran-Backed Militias In Syria Amid Doubts About Their Future In USAF: Reports

US Air Force (USAF) A-10 Warthog combat jets were purportedly deployed in Syria to conduct airstrikes against Iran-linked militias that entered Syria to fight the rebels that have launched a fresh offensive against Bashar al-Assad regime. 

Late last month, the Syrian Civil War, which was said to be in a state of stalemate, erupted once again with a fresh offensive launched by rebel groups led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). In just about 72 hours, the group stormed the Syrian city of Aleppo and advanced toward the central city of Hama.

After Aleppo fell and rebels vowed to intensify fighting against Assad’s forces, hundreds of Iran-backed Iraqi militias entered Syria overnight to support the government in its war, according to a disclosure made by unknown Iraqi and Syrian sources on December 2. An unknown Iraqi officer reportedly said that nearly 300 militants took the dirt road from Iraq into Syria to avoid the official border crossing.

Iran has been a staunch ally of the Syrian government through years of the Civil War. It has maintained military facilities in Syria for several years, with its network of regional militias playing a key role in the earlier success of pro-government forces in fighting and defeating the rebels.

Though Iran has not officially confirmed the report about Iran-backed militias fighting in Syria, the country has pledged its support for President Assad. After visiting Damascus, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reportedly said that while Syria’s military was capable of fighting the rebels, the “resistance groups will help, and Iran will provide any support needed.” He was referring to the local militia groups supported by Tehran.

However, according to claims on social media, these Iran-backed troops have already been struck by the United States. On December 1 and 2, multiple Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) accounts and military bloggers claimed that the USAF had deployed its A-10 Warthog ground-attack aircraft to attack the militias that entered Syria.

One such claim made by Visegard said: “50+ Iranian-backed Shiite soldiers from the PMU killed in strafing rounds by U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthogs in Syria.” PMU is the abbreviation for Popular Mobilisation Forces, a military formation of the Iraqi Armed Forces composed of several Shia factions.

EurAsian Times could not verify these claims. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) that oversees military operations in the region has not acknowledged these reports or announced its involvement in the war.

The United States has frequently bombed Iran-backed Shia targets across Iraq and Syria, accusing them of attacking American positions in the region.

Moreover, it is noteworthy that since 2014, the US has provided financial and military support to multiple rebel organizations fighting the Assad regime in Syria, especially the Kurdish-majority Syrian Democratic Forces. This time, however, the caveat is that the ongoing rebel offensive is led by the HTS in alliance with multiple decentralized Syrian rebel groups. The HTS has its roots in Al-Qaeda and is deemed a terror organization by Washington.

The White House recently said in a statement, ” United States has nothing to do with this offensive, which is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist organization.”

However, several pro-Assad analysts and independent military watchers have alleged that the HTS-led rebels are operating in connivance with the United States and Turkey to topple Bashar al-Assad from power and crush the resistance forces linked to Iran.

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File Image: A-10 Warthog – Wikipedia

The Warthog Is Still Very Useful For The USAF

The alleged bombing runs carried out by the USAF A-10 Warthog are particularly significant since the aircraft is now headed for retirement.

When the US had to enter wars against militias and non-state actors across the globe, such as in Iraq and Afghanistan, it relied heavily on aircraft like the F-15, the F-16, and the A-10 Warthog—a trend that continues to this day. 

However, the US has been making concerted efforts to decommission the A-10 aircraft for several years. Though lawmakers blocked the proposal at first, it was eventually accepted in fiscal year 2023.

The Air Force intends to retire all A-10s over the next five or six years. The service is set to retire 56 in the fiscal year 2025 alone, which began in October. So, if everything goes as planned, the A-10 would be completely removed from service before the end of this decade.

The service’s primary rationale is that the USAF requires multi-role, adaptable aircraft to survive future conflicts. It said earlier that while the A-10 proved to be very useful in providing close air support in US bombing campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, the slow-flying A-10 would not be able to withstand modern air defenses like those of China and Russia.

That said, the Warthog is a highly effective force-protection platform due to its low flying and slow speed characteristics, exceptional air-to-ground precision, and loitering capacity. The A-10 can also launch a variety of air-to-ground missiles, bombs, and rockets.

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File: A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II operates over the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.

For perspective, the faster air superiority fighters cannot fly slow enough to pick their ground targets or observe what they are attacking. This is necessary for air-to-ground attacks where even the most advanced electro-optical targeting systems cannot distinguish between friends and foes.

Moreover, they could easily be torn apart by hostile anti-aircraft fire even if they did. In contrast, the A-10 could do all that while in flight, has a greater ‘loiter time,’ and could take a significant hit by combat jet standards.

A-10s are best known for their GAU-8 30mm rotary gun, which is manufactured by General Electric. The Gatling gun is a unique weapon mounted on its snout. Its rapid bursts, seven barrels firing 65 rounds per second, have turned “an enemy soldier’s bowels to water.” Moreover, the A-10 was designed to survive in hostile environments. The Warthog can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles (up to 23mm).

Following its success in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, the aircraft was given several nicknames, including “Warthog,” “Flying Gun,” and “Tankbuster. ” Later, it was used to support NATO missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.

Last year, the A-10 attack jets were dispatched to the Middle East to boost US airpower amid increased tensions with Iran-backed forces. Needless to say, the return of conflict to the Middle East and subsequent deployment of the aircraft demonstrates that despite being a “single-mission” aircraft, as it is popularly called, the A-10 still has utility for the United States Air Force.