US conducts new strikes on pro-Syrian government forces

US-led aircraft struck a column of pro-Syrian government forces advancing toward a small US outpost in southeastern Syria on Tuesday, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The strike marks a second time in less than a month that US aircraft have targeted troops aligned with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Both times, the Pentagon said, were in self-defense.

"Despite previous warnings, pro-regime forces entered the agreed-upon de-confliction zone with a tank, artillery, anti-aircraft weapons, armed technical vehicles and more than 60 soldiers posing a threat to Coalition and partner forces based at the At Tanf Garrison," the US-led coalition said in a statement.

The statement said the US-led coalition communicated with the advancing forces through an existing hotline set up to ensure that Russian and US aircraft can operate safely in Syrian airspace. Despite the warnings, the Syrian forces continued to advance, prompting the US-led coalition to destroy two artillery pieces and an anti-aircraft weapon, according to the statement. A tank was also damaged, the Washington Post reported.

It is unclear how many troops were killed or wounded in the bombing run and what legal rationale might cover the US-led forces continued strikes on Syrian government forces operating within their borders.