The Biden administration on Friday afternoon ordered attacks on facilities in Iraq and Syria linked to Iranian-backed militants responsible for the deaths of three U.S. soldiers in Jordan earlier this week, but said it did not want war with Iran. Stated.
The airstrikes targeted 85 locations, three in Iraq and four in Syria, including command and control headquarters, ammunition depots and other facilities.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said in a call with reporters that the targets were “carefully selected facilities known to be used by the U.S. government.” . [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] And these extremist groups are attacking U.S. military personnel. ”
He also clarified that the airstrike was not intended to provoke a conflict with Iran. Iran has supported a group that has targeted U.S. forces in the region more than 160 times since October, killing three people and wounding dozens more this week.
“We do not want a conflict with Iran. These targets, as we have stated, [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] And the groups that they sponsor and support,” Kirby said.
“We believe these goals fit exactly that criteria. And the goal here is to deter these attacks. We don’t want war with Iran.”
“This tonight was more than just a messaging routine. This was about degrading capabilities, disempowering them in a more powerful way than ever before, and disempowering them by the Revolutionary Guards,” he added. Ta.
Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, could not say whether there were any militant fatalities, but said, “We are confident that tonight there will be casualties among people inside the facility.” originally carried out these attacks.”
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement that this was “the beginning of our response.” He said in his statement:
Following last Sunday’s attack on U.S. and coalition forces in northeastern Jordan that left three U.S. service members dead, the U.S. military, at the direction of President Biden, announced today that They carried out airstrikes against seven facilities, including more than 85 targets. It is used by the Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its affiliated militias to attack US forces. This is the beginning of our response. The President directed additional actions to hold the Revolutionary Guards and associated militias accountable for attacks on U.S. and coalition forces. These will unfold at a time and place of our choosing. We do not want conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else, but the President and I will not tolerate attacks on U.S. troops. We will take all actions necessary to protect the United States, our military, and our interests.
The Biden administration has been warning for several days that it would strike back, and it is unclear whether leaders of Iran-backed groups will be able to mount a defense.
Officials declined to say whether the Iranian-backed group had time to mount defensive measures or harden its targets.
“I’m not going to speak for the Revolutionary Guards or Iranian-aligned militias when it comes to telling people to move or increase security in advance,” Sims said.
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