The US has carried out retaliatory strikes against three facilities linked to Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, the Pentagon said, raising concerns about escalating violence in the Middle East.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that attacks against Kataib Hezbollah and other Iranian-linked groups are “necessary and appropriate.” The airstrike followed a weekend attack on an Iraqi air base that injured U.S. troops.
“These precision strikes are a direct response to a series of escalating attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militias,” Austin said. “We have no intention of escalating the conflict in this region.”
The United States has repeatedly warned that a devastating war in Gaza could lead to broader conflict across the region. At the same time, Washington carried out bombing raids in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen and continued to arm Israel, its closest ally in the region.
Four U.S. service members suffered traumatic brain injuries on Saturday when multiple ballistic missiles and rockets fired from Iraq by Iranian-backed militants hit Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base.
At least two militants were killed and four others wounded in retaliatory strikes in Iraq on Tuesday, sources told Reuters.
Since the Israel-Gaza war began in October, U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have been attacked by Iranian-allied militants about 150 times, despite political sensitivities in Baghdad and the risk of regional war. Biden decided to respond militarily.
The attack on the United States is seen as retaliation for supporting Israel in its war with Hamas, but the United States has accused Iran of trying to take advantage of the chaos.
The US has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 troops in Iraq, advising and assisting local forces to thwart a resurgence of Islamic State, which took control of large parts of both countries before being defeated in 2014. There is.
The war in Gaza has escalated in recent months, with US forces attacking Houthi targets after the group launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
Early Wednesday morning, the U.S. military announced it had carried out two more strikes in Yemen, destroying two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were preparing to launch into the Red Sea. The raid was the ninth U.S. attack on Houthi targets.
The Houthis say they are targeting ships in the Red Sea targeting Israel and its Western allies supporting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, but their momentum has slowed since the first wave of attacks. There are no signs of it happening.
Following the launch of the U.S. offensive on Monday in coordination with Britain, a Houthi military spokesman said the allied offensive would not go unresponsive.
Reuters contributed to this report
