Imam Ali military base
{{Short description|Iranian military base}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = Imam Ali Military Base
| ensign =
| ensign_size =
| native_name =
| partof =
| location =
| nearest_town = Abu Kamal, Deir ez-Zor Governorate
| country = Syria
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| image2 =
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| type = Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran base
| gridref =
| image_map =
| image_mapsize =
| image_map_alt =
| image_map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Syria
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Syria
| coordinates = {{coord|34|27|13|N|40|56|12|E|region:SY|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_image =
| pushpin_label =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_mark =
| pushpin_marksize =
| ownership = Ba'athist Syria
| operator =
| controlledby = Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces
| open_to_public =
| site_other_label =
| site_other =
| site_area =
| code =
| built = {{Start date|2019}}
| used = 2019–2024
| builder =
| materials =
| height =
| length =
| fate =
| condition = Inoperative
| battles =
| events =
| current_commander =
| past_commanders =
| garrison =
| occupants =
| designations =
| website =
| IATA =
| ICAO =
| FAA =
| TC =
| LID =
| GPS =
| WMO =
| elevation =
| r1-number =
| r1-length =
| r1-surface =
| h1-number =
| h1-length =
| h1-surface =
| airfield_other_label =
| airfield_other =
| footnotes =
}}
The Imam Ali military base was an Iranian military base located near the eastern Syrian town of Abu Kamal, near the border with Iraq.
History
The base has reportedly been under construction since early 2018.{{cite web|title=Iran is building tunnels in Syria near Iraq border for weapons|url=https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Iran-is-building-tunnels-in-Syria-near-Iraq-border-for-weapons-610501|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=December 10, 2019|accessdate=11 December 2019}} Fox News reported on 4 September 2019 that a "classified Iranian project", the Imam Ali military base, was being constructed near Abu Kamal,{{cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Airstrikes-at-Al-Bukamal-The-alleged-Iranian-base-and-the-explosions-601075|title=Airstrikes at Al Bukamal? The alleged Iranian base and the 'explosions'|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=September 9, 2019|access-date=December 26, 2019}} which was confirmed by satellite images. The project was approved by the top leadership in Tehran and is being completed by the Iranian Quds Force.{{cite web|url=https://www.cufi.org/iran-building-new-classified-military-base-in-syria-intelligence-sources/|title=Iran building new classified military base in Syria: intelligence sources|work=Christians United For Israel|access-date=December 26, 2019}}
On 9 September 2019, reports emerged that "Iranian" or "Iranian-backed militias" had been targeted in airstrikes, which appeared to be similar to a June 2018 airstrike that targeted a Kata'ib Hezbollah base at a similar location. Satellite imagery taken by ImageSat International in late 2019 suggests a tunnel system is being built, which Western intelligence sources believe will hold missiles.{{cite web|last1=Yingst|first1=Trey|title=Iran building new tunnel to house missiles: intelligence sources|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/iran-underground-tunnel-missile-storage|work=Fox News|date=December 10, 2019|access-date=10 December 2019}}
The site has been struck multiple times by the Israeli Air Force after which the construction of tunnels was noticed to have accelerated, and would soon be operational, as of November 2019.{{cite web|url=https://beholdisrael.org/iranian-military-base-in-syria-believed-to-soon-be-operational/|title=Iranian Military Base in Syria Believed to Soon be Operational|work=Behold Israel|date=November 19, 2019|access-date=December 26, 2019}}
The site was struck again on 25 February 2021{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Knights|url=https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/bidens-warning-iran-and-its-proxies-implications-syria-strike |title=Biden’s Warning to Iran and Its Proxies: Implications of the Syria Strike|date=26 February 2021|access-date=17 April 2021|work=The Washington Institute for Near East Policy}} by the United States military in retaliation for multiple rocket attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq ten days earlier,{{cite news|first1=Barbara|last1=Starr|first2=Oren|last2=Liebermann|title=US carries out air strikes in Syria targeting Iranian backed militia structures|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/25/politics/us-iraq-iran/index.html|date=25 February 2021|access-date=17 April 2021|work=CNN}} and became the first known offensive military operation carried out under U.S. president Joe Biden.{{cite web|date=26 February 2021|title=Joe Biden orders airstrike against Iranian-backed militia in Syria|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-26/us-carries-out-airstrike-against-iranian-backed-militia-target/13196358|access-date=17 April 2021|work=ABC News}}{{cite web|date=26 February 2021|title=U.S. targets Iranian-backed militias in Syria with airstrikes|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-targets-iranian-backed-militias-in-syria-with-airstrikes/ar-BB1e1LmN|access-date=17 April 2021|work=CBS News}} On 28 June 2021, another airstrike targeted the base, which left at least nine Iran-backed Iraqi militia fighters dead and many others injured, according to SOHR.{{Cite web|url=https://www.syriahr.com/en/218672/|title= Death toll update – Nine militiamen of Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces killed in US airstrikes near Syria-Iraq border • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights|date=June 28, 2021}}
All Iranian military bases in Syria have been abandoned as IRGC withdrew its fighters from Syria in December 2024 amid the fall of the Assad regime.{{Cite news |last=Fassihi |first=Farnaz |date=2024-12-07 |title=In the Syrian Regime’s Hour of Need, Its Patron Iran Makes an Exit |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/07/world/middleeast/iran-syria-rebels.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}