The presence of a small, but strategically important, Special Operations base inside Syria might be in jeopardy after Congress raised concerns about its security.

Last week, Congress requested the Department of Defence (DoD) and the Director of National Intelligence Retired Vice Admiral Joseph Maguire, a former Navy SEAL, to assess the threat level of the al-Tanf base. More specifically, Congress is worried about the danger of an Iranian-motivated attack.

Since 2016, the base has been used for a variety of operations. From a staging and resupply base for Coalition SOF conducting direct action and long-range reconnaissance missions in Syria to a training camp for training partner anti-ISIS forces.

The Forward Operating Base (FOB) is surrounded by 55 kilometres (approximately 35 miles) buffer zone. That, however, hasn’t dissuaded ISIS and Iranian-backed militias from attacking the base in the past.