US launches airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Syria, Iraq Military News

The strikes have marked the second time since US President Joe Biden took control of revenge attacks on armed groups.

The United States said on Sunday that it had carried out a round of airstrikes against armed groups backed by Iran in Iraq and Syria in response to drone strikes against U.S. workers and Iraqi facilities that militias would take revenge.

In a statement, the U.S. military said it had targeted both Syrian and one Iraqi locations and weapons storage facilities. He did not say he believed anyone was dead or injured, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Britain said at least five fighters were killed and several others injured.

The attacks came at the behest of President Joe Biden, who has been demanding revenge attacks against Iran-backed militias since he took office five months ago. Biden eventually ordered limited bombing against a target in Syria February, in response to rocket attacks in Iraq at the time.

“This afternoon’s strikes have shown that President Biden has made it clear that he will act to protect U.S. workers,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

Mahmoud Abdelwahed of Al Jazeera is in Baghdad, saying the attacks are “significant” and that the target groups are threatening to take revenge.

“After this threat we will see an increase in opposition to military installations,” he said.

The attacks occurred while the Biden administration was potentially looking into it revived the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. Critics say Iran cannot be trusted and have stated drone strikes, as evidence that Iran and its representatives have never shown a U.S. military presence in Iraq or Syria.

Biden and the White House declined to comment on Sunday’s attacks.

Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense Lawrence Korb said the raids could be seen “definitely” as Biden sees Iran sending a “notice.”

“It was about a month after the first time he used military force was inaugurated,” Korbe told Al Jazeera. “I don’t think it was an accident then for Iran to send that signal. He says he’s doing it now while they’re going to do the seventh round of talks on the JCPO: “Just because we’re there doesn’t mean we’re going to ignore that (other issues).” ”

Since the beginning of the year, more than 40 attacks on U.S. interests have taken place in Iraq, where 2,500 U.S. soldiers are deployed within the international coalition to fight what remains of the ISIL (ISIS) group.

The vast majority were bombs against logistical convoys, with 14 rocket attacks, some of which were claimed by pro-Iran factions as Washington was pushing for the withdrawal of all their troops.

The attacks happened on a day when three Iraqi bombers were detonated by Iraqi Kurdish officials near the northern Iraqi city of Arbil, at a U.S. consulate.

It also happened that Hashed al-Shaabi, a pro-Iran paramilitary alliance against the US presence in Iraq, held a military parade around Baghdad, with top officials taking part.

Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity with Reuters news agency, said Iranian-backed militias had attacked at least five drones since April against facilities used by the U.S. and coalition workers in Iraq.

The Pentagon said the facilities used by Iranian-backed militias include Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

One of the target facilities was used to fire and retrieve drones, a defense official said.

The U.S. military used F-15 and F-16 jet planes in the attacks and said the pilots had returned safely.