Image Credit : theguardian.com
On Sunday, the US military carried out airstrikes against ‘facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups’ near the border between Iraq and Syria under the administration of President Joe Biden.
John Kirby, Pentagon Press secretary asserted that the militias were using the facilities to initiate unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against the US troops in Iraq. He further stated that the US military aimed at three operational and weapon storage facilities that included two in Syria and one in Iraq.
John Kirby further described the airstrike as ‘defensive precision airstrikes’ adding that they were launched in response to an “ongoing series of attack by Iran-backed groups targeting US interest in Iraq.”
Kirby elaborated that the United States took necessary, appropriate and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation. “Also to send clear and unambiguous deterrent message,” he added.
As far as reports are concerned, this the second time that the military has hit Iran backed military groups in Syria under Biden. Biden authorized airstrikes on 25th February aiming facilities at an unmanned border control point that are operated by the same two groups.
The Pentagon claimed that the attack was conducted under the Unites states right to self defense as a guest in Iraq at the invitation of the government to assist its security forces with its efforts to defeat the Islamic States.