In the turbulent Middle East, US military bases have recently become the hardest hit areas by missile attacks. From Syria to Iraq, day to night, the US military bases on this land seem to be plunged into a never-ending nightmare. Just two days ago, when the sun was shining on the earth, Iraqi militias launched an attack on the Assad air base, shattering the silence.
As night fell, the al-Assad airbase in western Iraq again entered a tense atmosphere. At 18:30 local time, accompanied by a deafening explosion, missiles and rockets pierced the night sky and hit the US military base. These "Grim Reapers" who fell from the sky ruthlessly tore apart the silence of the night.
The air defense system of the US military base was quickly activated, intercepting most of the incoming missiles and rockets, but still some broke through the line of defense, causing serious damage. Twenty-two U.S. soldiers lost their lives in the attack, and their sacrifice became the latest footnote in this endless war.
This attack is not only a simple military action, but also a provocation and test of the red line of the US military. Unlike previous small-scale attacks, this one was continuous and uninterrupted. Shortly after the US military suffered heavy losses in eastern Syria, the attack on the al-Assad airbase in Iraq showed that the situation in the Middle East was changing profoundly.
At a time of rising tensions, the red lines of the US military seem to be becoming increasingly blurred. What was once considered an insurmountable bottom line now appears so fragile under the continuous bombardment. For the US military, how to deal with such a challenge and how to avoid greater casualties while safeguarding its own interests has become a difficult problem in front of them.
In this land full of gunsmoke, every missile lifted into the air and every explosion reverberated to remind people of the cruelty of war. For families who have lost loved ones in the war, war is no longer a distant news report, but a pain in the skin.
And those U.S. soldiers who are in military bases are uprooted from their homeland, in a foreign land, facing unprecedented pressure and danger. They are fighting for the so-called "national interest", but when the casualty numbers keep climbing, are those so-called interests really worth the huge price to pay?
Amid ongoing conflict and turmoil, peace in the Middle East seems increasingly elusive. How the United States of America, as a world power, can find a balance between safeguarding its own interests and promoting the peace process is undoubtedly a great test of its wisdom and determination.
In the midst of this incessant bombardment, everyone is looking for answers: when will this endless war end, where is the path to peace, and perhaps, the true way to peace can only be found when people are truly aware of the cost of war.