This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/24/us-military-strikes-iran-targets-iraq-ain-al-asad-airbase
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US launches strikes in Iraq on militia groups backed by Iran | US launches strikes in Iraq on militia groups backed by Iran |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Pentagon calls attacks ‘necessary and proportionate’, after US personnel were injured in a weekend attack in Iraq | Pentagon calls attacks ‘necessary and proportionate’, after US personnel were injured in a weekend attack in Iraq |
| The US has carried out retaliatory strikes in Iraq against three facilities linked to Iran-backed militias, the Pentagon has said, raising concerns about an escalation of violence in the Middle East. | |
| The US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, said in a statement that the attacks on Kata’ib Hezbollah and other Iran-linked groups were “necessary and proportionate”. The strikes came after a weekend attack on an Iraqi airbase that wounded US forces. | |
| “These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against US and coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias,” Austin said. “We do not seek to escalate conflict in the region.” | |
| The US has repeatedly warned that the devastating war in Gaza could lead to a broader conflict across the region. At the same time, Washington has conducted bombings in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, and continued to arm its closest regional ally, Israel. | |
| On Saturday, four US personnel suffered traumatic brain injuries after Iraq’s Ain al-Asad airbase was hit by multiple ballistic missiles and rockets fired by Iranian-backed militants from inside Iraq. | On Saturday, four US personnel suffered traumatic brain injuries after Iraq’s Ain al-Asad airbase was hit by multiple ballistic missiles and rockets fired by Iranian-backed militants from inside Iraq. |
| Tuesday’s retaliatory strikes in Iraq killed at least two militants, and four people were wounded, sources told the Reuters news agency. | |
| US troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked about 150 times by Iran-aligned militants since the Israel-Gaza war started in October, and President Joe Biden has decided to respond militarily despite political sensitivities in Baghdad and the risk of a regional war. | |
| The attacks against the US are seen as retaliation for its support of Israel in its war against Hamas, although Washington accuses Tehran of seeking to exploit the chaos. | |
| The US has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq, advising and assisting local forces to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large parts of both countries before being defeated. | The US has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq, advising and assisting local forces to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large parts of both countries before being defeated. |
| The war in Gaza has been spreading in recent months, with US forces hitting Houthi targets after the group launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea. | |
| Early on Wednesday, the US military announced it had carried out two more strikes in Yemen, destroying two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed at the Red Sea and were preparing to launch. The raid marked the ninth round of US strikes on Houthi targets. | Early on Wednesday, the US military announced it had carried out two more strikes in Yemen, destroying two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed at the Red Sea and were preparing to launch. The raid marked the ninth round of US strikes on Houthi targets. |
| The Houthis say they are targeting Israel and its western allies in support of Palestinians in Gaza in its targeting of the Red Sea – and there has been no sign that their attacks on shipping slowed after the first wave of attacks. | The Houthis say they are targeting Israel and its western allies in support of Palestinians in Gaza in its targeting of the Red Sea – and there has been no sign that their attacks on shipping slowed after the first wave of attacks. |
| After US strikes on Monday that were launched in conjunction with the UK, a Houthi army spokesperson said the allied attacks would not go unpunished or unanswered. | After US strikes on Monday that were launched in conjunction with the UK, a Houthi army spokesperson said the allied attacks would not go unpunished or unanswered. |
| Reuters contributed to this report | Reuters contributed to this report |