United States fighter jets conducted airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Syria.
The move is a retaliation for Iranian attacks on U.S. troops.
“Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s said in a statement.
“These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17.”
The statement added that the United States “does not seek conflict and has no intention nor desire to engage in further hostilities, but these Iranian-backed attacks against U.S. forces are unacceptable and must stop. Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not let them. If attacks by Iran’s proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people.”
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby emphasized that the airstrikes were in “self-defense.”
“Our forces and facilities had come under a range of attacks, rocket attacks, largely by these proxy groups, but they’re backed by Iran, in Iraq, and in Syria,” he said. “These strikes were in self-defense for our ability to protect ourselves and our troops.”
American Faith reported that Brigadier General Pat Ryder revealed that U.S. troops were attacked at least 13 times between October 17-24.
Ten attacks occurred in Iraq and three attacks occurred in Syria “via a mix of one way attack drones and rockets,” the general explained.
Following the strikes against U.S. troops, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that he would respond “swiftly and decisively” if the attacks continued.
“The U.S. does not seek conflict with Iran. We do not want this war to widen,” Blinken declared. “But, if Iran or its proxies attack U.S. personnel anywhere, make no mistake: We will defend our people, we will defend our security, swiftly and decisively.”
