Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds an Off-Camera, On-The-Record Press Briefing

Dec. 9, 2024

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SABRINA SINGH:  All right, we will get started. Good morning, everyone. A few things at the top and then happy to take your questions. Secretary Austin arrived in Japan yesterday where he visited Fleet Activities Yokosuka to meet with sailors from the USS George Washington.

Secretary Austin, thanked sailors for their service in support of the US military, the US-Japan Alliance and a free and open Indo-Pacific and while on travel, Secretary Austin conducted bilateral calls with his Turkish and Ukrainian counterparts.

With the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Umerov the leaders discussed recent battlefield developments and US security assistance to Ukraine. They also discussed planning for the next UDCG and the continued strong support of Ukraine's international partners.

The secretary also spoke yesterday with his Turkish counterpart Minister of National Defense, Yasar Guler to discuss developments in Syria. Secretary Austin emphasized that the United States is watching closely the statements and actions of the various opposition groups in Syria. They discussed a range of topics including steps to protect civilians, escalation management, management of risk to US forces and partners, and the defeat ISIS mission. And as you've probably seen, but a readout is available of both calls on defense.gov.

And now moving to Syria. We have continued the mission to prevent ISIS from reestablishing a safe haven in Syria. And just yesterday, US Central Command forces conducted dozens of precision airstrikes within Syria, targeting ISIS camps and operatives in the Badiya desert to prevent ISIS from conducting external operations and to ensure that they can't take advantage of the current situation to reconstitute in central Syria.

The operation struck over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s and A-10s, and our battle damage assessments are underway. CENTCOM, together with allies and partners in the region will continue to carry out operations to degrade ISIS capabilities even during this dynamic period in Syria.

And just to emphasize, the US military in Syria is to counter ISIS and to support our local partners on the ground, the Syrian Democratic Forces to ensure that ISIS can never reestablish a safe haven there.

Now, on the dynamics within Syria, the Assad regime brutalized, tortured and killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. And now at long last, the Assad regime has fallen and that is a fundamental act of justice. It is a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their country. It is also a moment of risk and uncertainty and so the United States will continue to work with our partners and with our stakeholders in Syria to help them seize the opportunity and to manage the risk.

And with that, I'm happy to take your questions. Lita?

Q:  Thanks, Sabrina. Just on Syria and there's going to be a billion.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Sure.

Q:   Can you say whether the US is even evaluating any increases in force structure in Syria, even if it's even temporary rotations in and out just to sort of solidify some of the security there? And then I have one follow up.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  At this time, not to my knowledge. Force posture remains the same. As you know, our forces have remained on a heightened level, but there's, you know, not tracking any changes or, you know, changes that the commander has made or requested.

Q:  And then can you give any sort of assessment of either Russian or Iranian forces in Syria? What the US is seeing as far as any of them?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I can't give it an assessment of their own forces. You know it's something that they should really speak to, but certainly I think on a, you know, a holistic high-level perspective. I mean just given the fact that the Assad regime has fallen, I think shows how deeply weakened Iran is, how weakened Hezbollah is and of course Russia is spending all its, you know, energy and resources in Ukraine shows their weakened state within Syria and their failure to be able to support one of their key allies in the region losing a critical, you know, point of contact for them within the Middle East.

Carla?

Q:  Hey, just a follow up on that. Have you seen Russian forces still in Syria? Are they still in Syria?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I believe they are still in Syria. There are some still in Syria, but to what that force posture looks like, I'm going to let the Russians speak for that.

Q:  Okay. And then also have US forces been attacked since any of this has occurred since we last talked to Pat on Thursday?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I'm not tracking any attacks since the one that was mentioned last week. So I'm not tracking anything from this weekend or in the last few days.

Phil?

Q:  What are the status of Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles? And could you speak a little bit about the leader of HTS, Abu Mohammad al-Julani? He has a $10 million bounty on his head. Is there any thought about how to approach him? What are the restrictions on US outreach to him right now?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  So on the chemical weapons question, you know, that's something that we are focused on. I think you probably heard the White House has also spoken to this, but through the work of our other partners, we're trying to make sure that those chemical weapons do not fall into the hands of anyone that would want to use them against civilians or against our US forces or partners in the region.

But I don't have a further assessment to give you, you know, of kind of the constitution of where those are in the country. In terms of HTS, you know, I can't speak to any direct communication with HTS, but we certainly have counterparts and other groups that have ways of delivering messages to HTS and other rebel groups.

But again, you know it's not just HTS, that is part of this movement. It is other groups that are engaged as well. So we're exploring our avenues to communicate with all of those groups, but I'm just not going to be able to get into more specifics.

Q:  Can I follow up on that please?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I'm going to keep going around the room. Yep, Haley.

 Q:  Thanks. On the HTS piece, can you just say has anyone in the US military been in contact with anyone in HTS since the regime has fallen?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I'm not tracking anyone in the military. Again, what I said to Phil was that, you know, we have groups that engage and we have ways of communicating messages, but direct contact, I'm not tracking any US military direct contact with HTS.

Q:  And has the US spoken to Russia on the deconfliction line since the weekend?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I'm not tracking any use of the deconfliction line since it was last mentioned, but again, that remains always open. Alex?

Q:  Can you talk about the recent strikes a little bit more in detail? I know the BDA is still ongoing, but you know what were they doing? What were some of like the force structure they were hitting? And why is CENTCOM so confident there's no civilian casualties when in past times when they said that quickly, they were proven wrong. How are they so confident now?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  So, you know, BDA is ongoing. Our initial assessments are that the strikes, targeted ISIS leaders and operatives in the Badiya desert and these camps that we know have operated there for, you know, many, many years. Again, we're doing our assessment that CENTCOM's initial assessment that there were no civilian casualties.

If that changes, we would certainly let you know, but our assessment right now and again, BDA is ongoing is that these strikes were effective and that we were able to degrade more ISIS capabilities.

Q:  So when you said you wanted to prevent them from taking the initiative or exploiting like, you know, the fluid situation, did you have evidence that they were doing that?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Again, this was a, I think a way to certainly prevent them from taking advantage of the dynamics within Syria and the current situation. But I think it's important to remember that these strikes are not unusual. You've seen us do them, you know, I mean pre-Assad regime falling, but certainly, you know, also post. And it's part of our mission to continue the enduring defeat of ISIS and we're going to continue to do that.

Yeah.

Q:  Thank you. What are you exactly telling the Turks? Clearly the United States isn't very happy with the attacks against the SDF. But I've seen the readout, you've read it out as well. But is this that we can sort it out diplomatically or we don't want the status quo to change at all? Like what are you exactly telling the Turks?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Well, I mean, I appreciate the question, but not going to have more than what the secretary provided in terms of the readout that we provided, excuse me. Again, I mean, this is a dynamic situation that's happening on the ground in Syria. One of the things that the secretary committed, you know, with his counterpart is that there's going to be an ongoing communication. And I'm just not going to be able to go beyond the readout that we put out. Charlie?

Q:  Welcome back. 

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Thank you.

Q:  On the subject of chemical weapons, you said just now that you're working with partners. Which partners?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I'm not going to get more specifics on that one.

Q:  I mean, are the SDF engaged in chemical weapon hunting?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Again, we're working with partners on the ground. I'm just not going to get into more specifics on who that is. We are, you know, very focused on the impacts of these weapons. Could they fall into the wrong hands or be used against innocent civilians, US forces our partners in the region? But I just don't have more specifics to provide right now.

Q:  Okay and the airstrikes that we've reported, you said they happen all the time, but not really at that scale. I mean B-52s and F-15s and A-10s.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Sure.

Q:   Pretty dramatic. Is this a glimpse into the future? Is this a one-time preemptive strike messaging or is this don't try anything?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Look, I think you have to take into effect what's also available in the region and what's available to the commander. So the commander makes the decision in consultation you know with other senior leaders on the capability that's needed, the type of targets that's needed. And sure, does it send a message?

I mean, I think it absolutely sends a message that we use B-52s, you know, A-10s and F-15s, but it also has to do with the type of targets that we are, you know, targeting with those capabilities. And that is at the commander's discretion. But it's also important to take into effect or take into account what's available to the commander at that time.

Jeff?

Thank you. Just you had mentioned that these strikes are not unusual, but as my colleague said so many. Is it possible to say is this the highest number of strikes in months or higher than usual? And is this the first time that the US has struck ISIS's former regime-held territory?

This is not the first time we've done strikes within the Badiya desert. You know, I don't have a full list of, you know, when the last time it was, but it's certainly not the first time. In terms of the, you know, the scope and scale of the operation. I mean, I, again, don't have a specific list in front of me. What we hit was approximately five locations that had 75 targets. I don't have a comparison to give you on past operations.

Q:  Does the fact that B-52s were involved indicate that this was planned for a while?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Again, it's about what's available also to the commander and the type of capabilities needed for these targets. B-52s is something that was a capability or a platform that was available for use. I think it certainly sends a message that we are not going to allow ISIS to resurge or reconstitute, but again it's the decision of the commander to use the capabilities that are available to him at that time.

I'm sorry, I did not mean to skip over you. I'll keep going around.

Q:  Why were these targets not hit before? And did the fall of Assad kind of clear the way or give the US increased freedom of action to hit these targets in that particular area?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  As you can appreciate with any operation, you know, timing goes into effect, the viability of the targets. So, you know, I'm not going to get into like a TickTock  of when this was planned for. But certainly, you know, we have struck in the Badiya desert before the entire reason of why we are there in Syria is to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. So this is part of that mission.

Yeah, go ahead.

Q:  Thanks, Sabrina. Do you guys have a deconfliction channel with the rebel forces?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Like an official channel, I mean, again this just happened, so I think, you know, we have ways of being able to communicate messages through other groups, but I'm not aware of like an official channel that's set up.

Q:  Do you, looking forward, do you feel like, I mean, that doesn't sound like it's a very speedy way of de-conflicting, especially if we're talking about you know troops taking fire, that sort of thing. Are there plans to set up an official channel?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Look, again not to my knowledge, there certainly I think you have to take a step back and remember why US forces are in Syria. We are there to ensure the defeat of ISIS. That is our mission right now. And you heard the president speak to this, that's going to, you know, remain and continue to be our mission.

This is a rapidly unfolding situation that's happening in the country. So should things change, you know, can keep you updated on that. But right now I'm not aware of an official channel being set up with HTS or other rebel groups. We have other ways of getting messages through, you know, groups and other allies in the region. But I'm not aware of an official channel being set up.

Yeah.

Q:   Thanks. Can we get an update on the Tardis naval base, the Russian naval base in Syria and what you were seeing in terms of Russian ships? And then also given what's happening in Syria and also the Ukrainians a constant targets on in the Russia in the Black Sea on Russia? What is the US assessment on the Russian Navy right now?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I mean, other than the fact that Ukraine has been pretty successful in going after their naval capabilities, I don't have much more to provide other than that. Ukraine continues to prove their capability against Russian naval assets. In terms of the base that you're referencing in Syria, like, I'm just not going to speak on behalf of the Russians, so I'd refer you to them to speak to that.

Q:  So Admiral Paparo, the commander in the Pacific Command mentioned that Russia may provide fighter jets to North Korea and in return for North Korea soldiers. So do you have more information about what technology, what happened Russia provided North Korea?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I do not. I mean, as we've said, we're seeing that deepening cooperation happened between Russia and the DPRK. You know, we're seeing certainly a trading of information and capabilities between these two countries including North Korea providing soldiers on the battlefield. But for more on that, I don't have anything to speak to on that.

Q:  Do you have any update on those troops in Russia? So are they still in the front line for combat operation?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  So we believe — and I think General Ryder spoke to this as well last week, that DPRK troops are still in that Kursk region. Haven't seen them engaged in combat. But, you know, we know they're there. We know that they're staged to engage in combat and, you know, we're continuing to monitor that.

Q:  So I know you carried out this preemptive strike, but what is your assessment of the capabilities of ISIS right now? Do you see them trying to take advantage of the chaos in Syria?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I think any time there is chaos or a lack of or like a leadership vacuum, ISIS will always try and use that as an advantage and fill that void which is exactly what we don't want to see happen. And, you know, we've certainly seen that before and that's why we took the actions that we did.

Q:  And do you think the mission counter ISIS mission can continue with HTS?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Yeah, we're doing it right now. We did it just yesterday. Our mission continues. We have a strong partnership with the SDF. ISIS is a threat to, I mean, not just the region but to the United States to military personnel that are there. And so absolutely the mission can continue and is going to continue under this administration.

Q:   Thank you, Sabrina. So in the situation with US forces, especially around the resort area, with the new dynamics of militant groups expanding their control, we've seen clashes with SDF in Manbij, which pushed SDF to retreat. There's a new reality. It seems, in southern part of the Euphrates. What is the status of US forces in that region? And do you see the advance of militant forces in that region a risk to your presence?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I think any group that, you know, wants to take action against US forces is certainly a risk to our forces. And, you know, we will always hold those accountable. What you saw us do last week and I think General Ryder spoke to some of those dynamic strikes that we took early in the week.

In terms of the activity, you know, happening in that region, US forces haven't advanced beyond where they are. It's something that we're going to continue to monitor, but I don't have more.

Q:  Are you specifically talking about threats through that flashes but dynamics between these groups and the SDF, the clashes with the SDF, does that put your forces at risk?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I mean, again, it's something that we're going to monitor. Right now, as I said, you know, our force posture has been at a heightened level for a while. But we're always going to take actions that we need to protect US forces and personnel in the region. But it's something that we're continuing to monitor. I can't like go down the loop of like if this happens, then we'll do that because I don't know what could happen.

Q:  And finally, on the latest movements by the Israeli forces in the Golan Heights, you know, they occupied five new villages inside Syria. Do you have any comment, have they been coordinating with you over this issue? Do you understand? Do you have an understanding of whether this is going to be temporary or this is going to be a permanent occupation?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  You're talking about in relation to the Syria demilitarized zone?

Q:  Well, there were four villages in that zone and then another which is the fifth one which is inside, you know, well, the whole area is occupied, but I'm talking about these five villages.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  So I would let the Israelis speak to their own operations. You know, it's something that we’ll monitor. I saw the public comments that were made from the Israeli government that this is temporary. So we're going to have to take them at their word on that.

Q:   Thank you. Three quick questions. First, from a military point of view, does the secretary support the idea of removing the HTS from the terrorist list?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I mean, that's a decision that this administration and the State Department would have to make that they are a terrorist organization. So I'm not going to speak on, you know, I think our position is pretty clear on where we stand on that.

Q:  But there is a military aspect of that security aspect?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Yeah, and that's why, you know, I was just asked about an official line of communication with them. Again, we're monitoring what's happening in country, but we are working with other groups that we have worked with for a very long time.

Q:  Another thing is do we still have evidence based on what General Ryder said last week, do you still have evidence that HTS has connections with al-Qaeda or other Salafist groups in Syria or maybe in the region?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I don't have an Intel assessment to provide you on what connections they have with other affiliates. Other than that we know that this is a terrorist organization that I think had that designation put on them in 2018. But I don't have, you know, a further assessment to give on their kind of their connections.

Q:  But General Ryder, use the term, it's an offshoot of al-Qaeda.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Yeah, I mean, I think that's initially sort of where the assessment was from, you know, when we first designated them in 2018, but I just don't have more to provide.

Q:  You still believe that it's an offshoot of al-Qaeda?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I don't have more to provide on HTS I think for more on the information and how their network works. I think, you know, there are other agencies that have done assessments that would be able to provide that.

Q:  Last thing is do you know if there are any foreign fighters among the rebels that took Damascus over the last hours?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I don't. Tony? And then I'll go to you.

Q:  What's next with the size and scope of Assad's chemical weapons capability? Do you have a sense? Does DOD have a sense of the inventories?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Yeah, I can't give you an intel assessment on that one.

Q:  Well, how about just broadly? If you're concerned about them, they must have a sense of stocks broadly.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Yes, and I just can’t get into more details, Tony. If there's more to provide, I certainly will.

Q:  Okay, domestic question. Are you in touch with the transition to Trump transition team yet or is that yet to be determined?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  On the transition.

Q:  Which will happen at some point.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  So yes, it will. At this time we have not had contact with the president-elect's transition team. We are still awaiting word from the Federal Transition Coordinator and the Trump transition team regarding the next steps.

Q: Okay, USAI, you announced a $1 billion package. Could you just do one-on-one on that? Does that play out over a year or so or does it have to go on contract within a month or two before the change of administration, if you know?

Well, the USAI is the commitment and then you source the contracting. That has a long process. So I don't think there's necessarily like a month or like a time frame put on it. It's how you can source the material or capability that you need. So that's going to be ongoing.

Q:  Okay. Thanks.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Courtney?

Q:  So five locations, 75 targets, do you know how many —

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  — Approximately five.

Q:  Yeah, and I think the CENTCOM thing said more than 75 or something like that. But do you have any idea how many actual like airstrikes that included? Sometimes it's more than one at each target?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I don't. I would refer you to CENTCOM for more specifics on that one.

Q:  How about, I mean, I know that you guys are still figuring out what exactly was there, but there must have been a sense going into this that hitting those roughly five locations and more than 75 targets, the scale of degradation to ISIS that would inflict. I mean, 75 targets in the Badiya desert seems like everything they had there to someone like me. I don't want to speak for here. But like I would think that's like everything they had there.

So was the goal here to wait them out of that area? And did you?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  So the goal here was to prevent ISIS from taking advantage of the current situation and being able to reconstitute in a way that would impact the dynamics that were happening in Syria. Now we, I mean, understandably and I get it, that 75 targets, that is a lot. I'm not disputing that.

But you've seen us take strikes in that desert before. We're doing an ongoing assessment of how much ISIS has been degraded from these strikes. I don't have that assessment right now that BDA is ongoing, but that does not mean that ISIS is off the map. We're still in Syria because that mission continues. And when we have more to provide on the strikes and the BDA, we certainly will.

Q:  And then one more on the prisons, is there anything being done by the US military to help shore them up? Is there concern that because of HTS now being in charge that they could move in there and I don't know open up the prisons?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  So I think you have to remember also the locations of where HTS is and, you know, Damascus and other regions that they're operating in versus where the United States is. I mean, I know we're talking about Syria holistically, but there is still a regional separation. And so right now, you know, I'm not aware of any other measures taken to, you know, by the SDF to further strengthen, you know, security measures around the prisons. But, you know, of course we're in touch with our contacts on the ground.

Q:  Thank you.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Jared? I'm gonna go to Jared and then I can come back to you.

Q:  Sabrina, so the secretary spoke with Yasar Guler and, I think, CIA director, Bill Burns was in touch with his Turkish counterpart. I presume about what's going on in part at least what's going on around Manbij. Are you guys seeing any evidence on the ground in the last eight hours, 12 hours that these conversations are being headed?

I mean, the SDF is saying these attacks are being overseen by Turkish military officers. They're pointing to what they allege is the use of drones. And what leverage is the US willing to bear with Turkey to ensure that the SDF region and the Defeat ISIS mission is not destabilized.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Well, that, again, that's why you know the secretary had his call with his Turkish counterpart. We want to see and not to totally just read back what I said, but, you know, we want to see the protection of civilians, escalation management and the management to risk of US forces and partners through the Defeat ISIS mission.

That was all something that they discussed, but I'm not going to go into more specifics on their call, but you do have their readout.

Q:  But haven't seen any developments on the ground in that regard yet?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Regarding US forces, no.

Q:  A request for those?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  No.

Q:   Okay. Did the DOD have any communications with the southern front, you know, during before or even after its drive to Damascus from Daraa?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  What do you mean? Can you get to like?

Q:  The rebels in southwestern Syria reached Damascus. Did DOD have any communications with them?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I don't have anything specific to provide. Charlie?

Q:  Yeah. Regarding the prisons, is there any military component in the hunt for Austin Tice?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  There is not. That is a diplomatic effort and so I'd refer you to State Department and the White House to really speak about that.

Q:  Can I ask a quick clarification?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Yeah, I'm going to

Q:  Ask are any US troops looking for Assad's chemical weapons or are DOD agencies helping partners look for these chemical weapons?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  We're in touch with partners. We don't have US forces in, you know, I would say engaged in your words “hunting” for them. But we are, you know, it's something that we're focused on. We have expertise in this issue and we're doing this through our partners on the ground trying to make sure that those weapons don't fall into the wrong hands.

Q:  Is DOD providing them with intelligence about where they might be?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Just don't have more to provide. Alex?

Q:  Can you talk about the health and the strategy of the counter ISIS mission? I mean, when you look at the strike, the idea that they would like so many resources and these positions, doesn't it like give you an indication that the counter ISIS mission isn't going so great. Like why would they be able to amass that much to require that big of a reaction from the US? Like why were they able to do it in the first place? Why are they degraded enough to where they're sort of hiding anywhere?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Well, I think you have to remember just say a decade ago, you know, ISIS was in a very different position than they are now. So the mission to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, yes, it continues. You know, we haven't eradicated ISIS off the map, but their capabilities is nowhere near where they used to be and you would know, you know, you've covered, you know, what our forces did in Iraq and Syria.

So, again, partly we saw an opportunity to take out a significant amount of capability in the Badiya desert using platforms that, of course, you know, were intended for those targets. But certainly sends a message in the region that we're not going to allow ISIS to take advantage of this of this time.

Q:  Yeah. I mean, enduring is like a key word there because, you know, yes, we've all covered it, but I was a young man when we started covering the enduring defeat of ISIS.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:   I think you're still pretty young.

Q:  So I'm just wondering like it's gone on for so long, they're not on their back heels yet and this doesn't seem like this strike will make them do that.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I would again I would push back on that. I think from where they were, you know, years ago to where they are now, this is a very different type of group that has significantly less capability and that is because of US commitment and continued partnership with the SDF. And it's not just ISIS. You have other groups Hamas, Hezbollah, that have been significantly weakened and are on their backs because of what we've been able to do with our partners. And also what we've been able to do in the region and that Israel has been able to do in the region.

So again, just on the ISIS front, I would push back on that characterization.

Q:  Could I just ask to clarify real quick? I mean, does the fact that this area, the Badiya desert was previously under the nominal control of Russian airspace, does that have anything to do with the timing of sort of the opportunity arose because the Russians are not in the area anymore and that's, you know, I mean I imagine this target package has been building for a while presumably so?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  We saw the opportunity and we took it.

Q:  Okay.

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Phil?

Q:  So I had kind of a couple of big picture questions. You know, we're talking about the defeat of ISIS mission, but, you know, the groups that took over, you know, Syria seem to be you know also quite bad from a US perspective. And I'm wondering, are you concerned that they'll just create a different kind of Islamic state in Syria?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Well, I mean I think as I said in the beginning, you know, this is a moment of incredible opportunity, but also you know we are continuing to monitor and are concerned about the risk that could happen with, you know, these different factions and rebel groups. You know, toppling, you know, a horrible regime. And it's something that, yeah, of course, we're concerned and that's why we're trying to manage the risk.

Q:  Does this relationship that you have countering ISIS, do you think, give you credibility with the people that are running Damascus or do you think it creates a barrier between you and them?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  Taking out other terrorist organizations?

Q:  Do you think that your counter-ISIS mission helps build credibility as a, you know, as an occupier of Syria and a force to be reckoned with? Do you think it helps build leverage with the new rulers of Syria? Or do you think it's going to be a barrier for your ability to negotiate with them?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I think anything that removes the threat of any terrorist group from innocent civilians is a good thing. Do I see one more? Okay?

Q:  Oh, sorry, yes, so I'll confirm that there they struck target that they believe the chemical weapons in Syria. Is this coordinated with the US forces? Is this what you meant when you said you're working with allies and partners in the region?

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SINGH:  I don't have anything on that particular event. I'd refer you to the Israelis to speak to their operations, but we are always in touch with, you know, our counterparts when it comes to deconfliction, but I don't have anything to add on that one.

Okay, thanks everyone. Happy Monday.