John Kirby, Pentagon Press Secretary, stated that the militias were using these facilities to launch unmanned aerial vehicles attacks on U.S. troops fighting in Iraq. Although it was only the second time that the administration had taken military action in the area since Biden’s takeover earlier this year there is no indication that Sunday’s attacks were intended to launch a larger, more sustained U.S. air campaign across the border.
Kirby stated that the U.S. military had targeted three weapons and operational storage facilities, two in Syria and one Iraq. The Pentagon released videos of strikes by Air Force F-15/F-16 aircraft. One target was a coordination center for shipment and transfer advanced conventional weapons.
Kirby claimed that the airstrikes were defensive and were launched to counter militia attacks.
Kirby stated that the United States took appropriate, necessary and deliberate actions to reduce the risk of escalation and to send a clear, unambiguous deterrent message.
According to the Pentagon, the facilities were used as a base by Iran-backed militia groups like Kata’ib Hezbollah or Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.
Navy Cmdr., a Pentagon spokeswoman, said Monday that each strike hit its intended target. Jessica McNulty, a Navy Cmdr spokeswoman, stated Monday that each strike had hit its target and that the U.S. military was still reviewing the results.
McNulty stated that the targets were chosen by Iran-backed militia groups, which are responsible for recent attacks on U.S. personnel housing in Iraq. McNulty stated that these groups have carried out at least five of the “one-way drone attacks” since April.
Antony Blinken Secretary of State, speaking to reporters in Rome Monday, stated that Biden had made it clear that the U.S. would protect American personnel.
“This self-defense action to do what is necessary to prevent more attacks, I believe sends a very important message. He said that he hoped it would be received. “I believe we have shown, through the actions last night and previous actions, that the president is ready to act and act appropriately and intentionally to protect us.”
Two Iraqi militia officers told The Associated Press in Baghdad four militiamen died in airstrikes close to the border with Syria. They spoke under condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to make statements. Both men claimed that the first strike struck a weapons storage facility in Syria, killing the militiamen. The border strip was hit by the second strike.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (a Britain-based group that monitors the conflict in Syria through activists on ground) reported that at most seven Iraqi militiamen were killed by the airstrikes.
Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq vowed to avenge the attack and issued a joint statement stating that they would continue attacking U.S. forces. They stated that they would “… avenge our righteous martyrs against those who perpetrated this horrible crime and with God’s help, we will make the enemy taste bitterness of vengeance.”
Popular Mobilization Forces is an umbrella group of mostly Shiite militias that was sanctioned by Iraqi states. It claimed its men were on missions to stop infiltration by Islamic State and denied the existence of weapons storages.
The strikes were condemned by the Iraqi military as a “blatant, unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty” and “national security infringement.” However, it called for avoiding escalation and rejected the idea that Iraq could be used to settle accounts — a reference both to the U.S.A. and Iran. The rare criticism by the Iraqi military of U.S. strikes was a rare one.
Saeed Khatibzadeh, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, accused the U.S. in creating instability in the region. He stated that the U.S. was disrupting security in the region on Monday.
U.S. military officers have become increasingly concerned about drone strikes targeting U.S. bases in Iraq. These attacks became more frequent after a U.S. directed drone killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Solimani near Baghdad’s airport last year. The attack also claimed the lives of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi militia leader. The strike angered mostly Shiite Iraqi lawmakers, prompting parliament to adopt a non-binding resolution to press the Iraqi government into removing foreign troops from the country.
Sunday’s strikes are the second time that the Biden administration has launched airstrikes in the region bordering Iraq and Syria. In February, the U.S. launched airstrikes near the Iraqi border against facilities in Syria that were being used by Iranian-backed militia units.
According to the Pentagon, these strikes were in retaliation to a rocket attack on Iraq that occurred earlier that month and killed one civilian contractor. It also wounded a U.S. soldier and other coalition troops.
Biden stated that Iran should consider his authorization of U.S. airstrikes against Syria as a warning to it that it could face consequences for supporting militia groups that pose a threat to U.S. personnel or interests.
“You cannot act with impunity. When a reporter asked Biden what message he intended to send, Biden replied “Be careful.”
Kirby stated Sunday that “Given Iran-backed terrorist groups’ ongoing attacks on U.S. interests, the President directed additional military action to disrupt or deter such attacks.”
A Pentagon spokesperson added that the United States had acted in self-defense because it was a matter international law. The strikes were necessary to deal with the threat, but appropriately limited in scope.
Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker, stated in a Sunday statement that U.S. airstrikes appear to be a “targeted and proportional response [to] a serious threat and specific threat” and added, “Protecting our military heroes who defend freedoms is a sacred priorit.”
