Biden Orders Airstrikes on Iran-backed Militias in Iraq, Syria

News Staff : Jun 28, 2021
JNS.org

The strikes were launched in retaliation for drone attacks on US facilities and personnel in Iraq, according to the Pentagon.

[JNS.org] The United States on Sunday carried out airstrikes targeting Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, in response to drone attacks by the militias on US personnel and facilities in Iraq, according to the Pentagon. (Screengrab image)

The strikes targeted "operational and weapons storage facilities" at two locations in Syria and one in Iraq, all of which lie in the border region between the two countries, according to a Defense Department statement. The facilities were used by several Iran-backed militia groups, according to the Pentagon, including Kata'ib Hezbollah and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

"As demonstrated by this evening's strikes, President Biden has been clear that he will act to protect US personnel," and has authorized further military action to "deter and disrupt" such attacks on US forces, said the statement.

The Pentagon emphasized that the strikes were defensive in nature, as well as "appropriately limited in scope."

There were no reports of casualties from the airstrikes, but officials said assessments were ongoing, according to Reuters.

Since April, Iran-backed militias have carried out "at least five" drone attacks against facilities used by US and coalition personnel, said Reuters, citing two anonymous US officials.

One of the three facilities targeted by the US strikes had been used to launch and recover the drones, according to the report.

This was the second round of strikes ordered by Biden on Iran-backed militias since he took office in January. On Feb. 25, the US military struck multiple targets in eastern Syria, in response to a Feb. 15 rocket attack on Iraq's Erbil International Airport that killed a civilian contractor working with the US-led military and injured several others, including an US service member. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.