As part of the air group attacking the forces loyal to the Syrian government on February 7 in the province of Deir ez Zor, there were B-52 strategic bombers. This during a briefing for the press said the head of the Central Command of the US Air Force Lieutenant-General Geoffrey Harrigan, according to the Pentagon website.

According to him, an attack on the positions of allied Americans of the Democratic Forces of Syria (DSS) was organized by some hostile forces (he did not disclose any details about them), and the actions of the aircraft and drones of the coalition were self-defense.

"On the ground, our airmen adjusted air and artillery strikes for more than three hours," Harrigan said, adding that the operation involved F-15E fighter-bombers, MQ-9 Reaper drone aircraft, AC-130 fire support aircraft, Apache helicopters and bomber B-52.

"When the hostile forces turned westward and retreated, we stopped the fire," the military leader said, noting that the Russian side had been warned about the build-up of some forces in the area and the presence of a contingent of the coalition with the detachments of the DSS.