Syrian rescue teams inspect the damage at the site of an alleged US-led coalition drone strike in the city of al-Bab, on the border with Türkiye, in Syria's northern Aleppo province, on Dec 20, 2022. The US military carried out multiple air strikes in Syria on Thursday night against groups who it blamed for a deadly drone attack that killed an American contractor, injured another and wounded five US troops earlier in the day, the Pentagon said. (PHOTO / AFP)

DAMASCUS - The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the recent US airstrikes on the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, urging other countries to join the condemnation.

The US attacks were "based on lies," the ministry said in a statement, stressing the Syrian army's determination to restore all Syrian areas and end the US occupation of Syrian territories.

Spokesman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Keyvan Khosravi said that Iran will give "immediate and reciprocal" response to any attack on bases established for "fighting terrorism" in the Syrian territory and at the request of the country's government

The statement followed an exchange of fire between the US forces and pro-Syrian government, Iranian-backed militias since midnight Friday.

An American contractor and 11 pro-Iran fighters were killed in the exchange of fire, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.

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It said the Iranian militias launched several drone attacks and shelling on US bases in the al-Omar oil field in Deir al-Zour, adding that the US responded with shelling on several military strongholds of the Iranian militias in the same province.

Spokesman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Keyvan Khosravi said on Saturday that Iran will give "immediate and reciprocal" response to any attack on bases established for "fighting terrorism" in the Syrian territory and at the request of the country's government.

He stressed that the US side, by using "false" accusations, resorted to blame games to escape the possible consequences of its "illegal occupation" of parts of the Syrian territory for its military forces.

Khosravi noted that Washington cannot attribute the occupied countries' confrontations with the American forces to other countries by "spreading lies."

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Iran has borne heavy costs to "fight terrorism and maintain lasting security" in Syria, he stressed, adding that Tehran would oppose and confront any move that jeopardizes Syria's stability.

Iran said it has an advisory role in Syria and is present in the country at the request of Damascus.

On Friday, US President Joe Biden said that the United States would "act forcefully" to protect its people.