Iran’s missile attack on ISIS sends message to West

An Iranian missile launch Sunday not only targeted Islamic State (ISIS) but also sent a threat to the United States and its Middle East allies. The launch, Iran’s first missile attack abroad in 15 years, hit the city of Deir el-Zour in eastern Syria but did not appear to cause any casualties, according to reports from observers. Iraq gave Iran permission to fly the six missiles through its airspace. Iran described the strike as retaliation for an ISIS attack on Tehran earlier this month. Gen. Ramazan Sharif of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said the missile strike had another purpose, too. “The Saudis and Americans are especially receivers of this message,” he said. The missiles launched Sunday would be capable of reaching U.S. military bases in the region and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the United States on Sunday shot down a Syrian aircraft for the first time. Russia, the biggest supporter of the Syrian government in the country’s civil war, said in the future it would target any U.S.-led coalition planes in Syria west of the Euphrates River.

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