Saying the USA will do what is needed to protect coalition forces, Davis added, “The Syrian regime would be well advised not to do things that would place them at risk”.
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People’s Protection Units (YPG) spokesman Redur Xelil said the air strikes had hit Kurdish districts of the city, which is mostly controlled by Kurdish groups, and positions held by a Kurdish security force known as the Asayish.
The majority of the area around Hasakah is held by Syrian Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State group, but there are also pockets of Syrian regime forces in the area.
Knowing Russia’s strong support for the regime of Syrian President Assad, Davis said a message was sent for them to pass along to the Syrian military “stating our intent to take whatever action is necessary”.
It was apparently the first time the coalition had scrambled jets in response to a regime action, and possibly the closest call yet in terms of Syrian forces coming close to killing American or coalition advisers.
Two Syrian regime warplanes attempted to fly to the area again on Friday, but were met by coalition aircraft, a USA defense official said in a statement.
But the Pentagon warning appeared to fall on deaf ears.
“We view instances that place coalition personnel at risk with the utmost seriousness, and we do have the inherent right of self-defense when USA forces are at risk”, he added. The coalition aircraft are now conducting more patrols in the area.
Davis said he was not aware of any other instances where coalition aircraft had been scrambled to respond to Syrian government bombing.
The Observatory said there was no let-up in the fighting on the ground which has left 39 people dead since Wednesday, 23 of them civilians, including nine children.
File picture of Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) fighters taking up positions inside a damaged building in al-Vilat al-Homor neighborhood in Hasaka city, as they monitor the movements of Islamic State fighters who are stationed in Ghwayran neighborhood in Hasaka city, Syria July 22, 2015. He also said he believes this is the first time the US has scrambled aircraft in response to an incident like this involving Syrian government bombings.
The fighting this week in Hasaka, which is divided into zones of Kurdish and Syrian government control, marks the most violent confrontation between the Kurdish YPG militia and Damascus in more than five years of civil war.
“Right now in the city you do not have electricity, you do not have bread”, he said.
The Pentagon said it has stepped up air patrols to maximize troops’ safety.
On Friday, the main umbrella group for the Syrian opposition also cautiously welcomed the idea provided the United Nations monitored the truce and enforced compliance.
Washington regards them as the most effective fighting force on the ground against the jihadists in Syria and has provided them with air cover and military advisers.
“There were heavy clashes, artillery fire and rocket attacks throughout the night and ongoing in the morning”, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.
Russia’s three cruise missile launches were its first against targets in Syria from the Mediterranean, with previous ones made from its Caspian Sea fleet.
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The targets were linked to the former Al-Nusra Front, now Fateh al-Sham Front, the ministry said.
