US JETS bombed Syrian troops near the Iraqi border for the second time on Tuesday night, both countries’ armed forces confirmed yesterday.

A statement from the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve coalition said its aircraft attacked a convoy of “pro-regime forces” headed for the al-Tanf border post, where US, British and Norwegian special forces are in occupation.

It claimed the force was “posing a threat to coalition and partner forces based at the al-Tanf garrison” and had violated the 34-mile exclusion zone the US claims under the non-conflict agreement with Russian forces in Syria.

But a Syrian armed forces source told the official Sana news agency the air strike hit al-Shamiyah, more than 45 miles from the border post.

The source did not give a clear casualty figure but Russia’s Sputnik said that two soldiers were killed.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said yesterday that he knew nothing of the US zones, adding: “We consider illegitimate any unilateral declaration of ‘non-conflict zones’ not endorsed by Damascus.”

On May 18 the coalition bombed Syrian forces, referring to them as “Iranianbacked militias,” which were driving Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces back towards al-Tanf.

But yesterday’s statement said the target was “more than 60 soldiers,” an apparent admission that it had been the Syrian army that was was targeted.

The US is backing the FSA to seize the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor before a Syrian army offensive lifts the three-year Isis siege of the provincial capital.

That would put them in control of the Iraqi border, which the Iranian-backed PMU (People’s Mobilisation Units) militia may soon cross in support of Damascus.

On Tuesday Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said his forces would seek to control the border in co-operation with Syria against their common foe Isis.

He said: “Our main objective is to protect Iraq and protect the Iraqi-Syrian borders too. Entering Syria would create international complications that we don’t need.”