US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed surprise at the rapid overthrow of the Syrian regime, stating that the entire international community was taken aback by the swift movement of opposition forces. Speaking from Japan on Monday, Austin warned that ISIS could exploit the situation on the ground following the regime change.
Austin noted that the international community had anticipated a stronger resistance from Assad's forces. He highlighted the potential for groups like ISIS to capitalize on the instability in the region and potentially regain strength. In response to these concerns, the US conducted significant strikes on ISIS targets over the weekend.
While aboard the USS George Washington in Japan, Austin mentioned that the US was still assessing the outcomes of the strikes but expressed confidence in their effectiveness. He indicated that initial evaluations suggested that the operations had been successful in targeting ISIS elements.
