Johnson criticizes ‘excessive signaling’ as US begins strikes in Iraq, Syria

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) on Friday night accused Biden of slow response to the attack on a US base in Jordan that killed three US service members, as the Capitol reacted to the first retaliatory attack by the US. criticized the government. Regarding Iranian-related militias in the Middle East.

“The tragic deaths of three U.S. soldiers in Jordan at the hands of Iranian-backed militias required a clear and strong response. Unfortunately, the administration waited a week and told the world, including Iran, that we I have telegraphed the details of our response,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement.

“Public handshakes and excessive signaling undermine our ability to bring a decisive end to the barrage of attacks we have endured over the past few months,” it added.

The US military announced early Friday that the Biden administration had conducted its first round of airstrikes in retaliation for last weekend’s attack on Jordan, using “more than 125 precision munitions” on multiple locations in Iraq and Syria.

The airstrikes targeted positions associated with the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its affiliates. Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he believed the attack damaged military capabilities.

“I hit it exactly how I wanted to hit it,” Sims said. “We confidently struck targets that will impact our ability to attack Americans in the future.”

Democrats praised the first attack as a justified response to deadly attacks on U.S. troops, even though the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (DR.I.) said the airstrike was a “strong and proportionate response” to the attack that killed three Americans and injured dozens more. Ta.

“In fact, the 85 targets attacked tonight is more than the previous administration,” he said, referring to the Trump administration and calling the attacks a “significant blow” to Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria. added.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) called it a “good first step” in an appearance on CNN, saying President Biden would avenge the deaths of U.S. soldiers without escalating the conflict into a broader conflict. He pointed out that they aim to “thread the needle” by doing so. War with Tehran.

Meanwhile, Republicans in both chambers were quick to condemn the attack, which came five days after Biden first pledged to respond to a suicide drone attack on a Jordanian military base known as Tower 22.

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) Posted The administration’s response to recent attacks in the Middle East has been “dangerously disastrous,” he said on social media, saying the U.S. should instead sink “Iranian spy ships” and consider reimposing oil and gas sanctions. He added.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said on Fox News Friday night that the airstrike was likely a “tactical success,” but he doubted whether it would be a “strategic success.” I threw it.

“Simply put, to give one example, we had Iranian leaders hightail it out of Syria and Iraq, so I think we didn’t kill a lot of key Iranian leaders in those regions. ” he said.

echoed the voice of Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi). statement The administration “foolishly spent nearly a week telegraphing America’s intentions to our enemies, giving them time to relocate and hide,” he said.

Biden met with families of slain service members earlier in the week and on Friday attended a ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to return the soldiers’ remains to the United States, known as Transfer with Dignity.

The airstrikes were the first in what U.S. officials described as a phased response against Iranian-backed militias.Weekend strikes also followed U.S. officials spoke to several media outlets That weather contributed to the timing of the strike this week.

Biden said in a statement Friday that the U.S. response “will continue at the time and place of our choosing.”

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement: “While we are not seeking conflict in the Middle East or elsewhere, the president and I will not condone attacks on American troops.”