U.S. Forces Carry Out Airstrikes Against Iranian-Backed Militia Groups Along Iraq-Syria Border - Forbes

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Topline

U.S. forces carried out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria early on Monday against two Iranian-backed militia groups early on Monday, the Pentagon announced, in what is the second instance of the Biden administration using force in the region.

Key Facts

According to a Department of Defense statement, the strikes were carried out at President Joe Biden’s orders and they targeted facilities used by “Iran-backed militia groups” along the Iraq-Syria border.

The targeted facilities were chosen because they had been used by the militants to carry out drone attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq, the Pentagon said.

The statement noted that the facilities were being used by groups including Kata’ib Hezbollah and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada to store arms and ammunition.

According to the New York Times, the strikes were carried out at around 1 a.m. local time by a mix of Air Force F-16 and F15E fighter jets.

Crucial Quote

“As demonstrated by this evening's strikes, President Biden has been clear that he will act to protect U.S. personnel. Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks.” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement.

Key Background

Monday’s strikes were the second time Biden has ordered the use of force against Iranian-backed groups in the region. In February, U.S. forces conducted airstrikes along the Syria-Iraq border in retaliation to rocket attacks on American facilities in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Erbil. Since then Iranian-backed groups have targeted Iraqi bases that housed U.S. military personnel, using drones laden with explosives. The U.S. military presence in Iraq is largely limited to bases in Ain al-Asad and Baghdad as the Trump administration had significantly drawn it down. The strikes also come just a week after Iran elected hard-line leader Ebrahim Raisi, as its next president.