October 3, 2025

Information Cutoff: 2:00 pm ET

Andie Parry, Carolyn Moorman, Avery Borens, Ben Rezaei, Zahra Wakilzada, Parker Hempel, and Annika Ganzeveld

A Syrian militia sympathetic to the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance claimed an attack on a US base in northeastern Syria on October 2. This attack marks the first time that the militia has claimed to attack US forces. The Syrian Popular Resistance announced that it and “allied forces” targeted US forces with unspecified weapons south of Hasakah City. Syrian social media accounts posted videos purporting to show US air defense systems activating over al Shaddadi Base, Hasakah Province, on October 2. The United States has not confirmed the attack at the time of this writing, and CTP-ISW is unable to independently verify the group’s claim.

The Syrian Popular Resistance previously limited its attacks to entities associated with the Syrian transitional government and had not targeted US forces, despite its opposition to the US force presence in Syria. Unspecified US officials told US-based al Monitor on October 2 that the United States has paused its planned reduction of forces in Syria due to concerns about the Syrian transitional government’s stability. The Syrian Popular Resistance warned in August 2025 that it would expand its target bank and operational reach because of its opposition to the United States, Israel, and the Syrian transitional government. The Syrian Popular Resistance formed immediately after the fall of Assad in December 2024 to oppose the Syrian transitional government. The group’s last claimed attack was in March 2025, when it claimed to poison the meals and water of Syrian government soldiers using a “biological weapon.” The Syrian Popular Resistance has venerated former Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani on its channel in addition to its regular pro-Assad content, suggesting that the group is ideologically aligned with the Axis of Resistance. The Syrian Popular Resistance celebrated Iran’s attack on US forces in Qatar during the Israel-Iran War in June 2025, further underscoring the group’s ideological alignment with Iran.

Reported Attack on US Forces in Syria: A Syrian militia sympathetic to the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance claimed an attack on a US base in northeastern Syria on October 2. This attack marks the first time that the militia has claimed to attack US forces.

Iraqi Elections: Iranian-backed Iraqi actors are continuing to try to detract voter support from their political opponents ahead of the November 2025 Iraqi parliamentary elections. A Middle Eastern news outlet that is likely affiliated with Iranian-backed actors claimed on September 30 that Sunni Sovereignty Alliance head Khamis al Khanjar is involved in a US-supported effort to return Baathists to power in the upcoming elections.

Houthi Weapons Shipment Interdiction: Yemeni security forces seized a vessel that was transporting equipment, including manufacturing equipment, surveillance gear, and raw materials, to the Houthis on October 2. The Houthis could have used the equipment to strengthen their drone capabilities.

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