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US launches airstrikes in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for deadly drone attack US launches airstrikes in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for deadly drone attack
(32 minutes later)
US Central Command confirms it conducted airstrikes after drone strike killed three US troops in Jordan last weekend President says ‘If you harm an American, we will respond’ as US forces strike in what is expected to be first of multiple attacks
The US military has launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iran-backed militias, in the opening salvo of retaliation for the drone strike that killed three US troops in Jordan last weekend. Joe Biden has warned “If you harm an American, we will respond” as US forces attacked more than 80 targets in Iraq and Syria in a wide-ranging air assault on sites belonging to Iran-linked militias and Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard.
US Central Command said its forces had conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups. The US president said in a statement that the strikes had been launched in retaliation for the drone strike that killed three US troops in Jordan, adding: “Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing.”
“US military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States. The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions. The facilities that were struck included command and control operations, centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aired vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces,” Centcom said in a brief statement. The US military’s Central Command said it has struck with more than 125 bombs in an attack that took place around midnight local time (4pm ET) in what is expected to be the first of multiple attacks against the groups.
“US military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States,” Centcom said in a statement, aimed at facilities believed to be controlled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.
Targets selected, Centcom added, included command and control operations, intelligence centres, rockets and missiles, logistics and munition supply chain facilities, but it was not clear how accurate the attacks were or what casualties they had caused.
US officials told CNN that the US had no plan to bomb Iran, which would represent a significant escalation. Administration officials have repeatedly stressed that Washington does not intend to go to war with Iran, despite the accusation that it had armed the groups behind the Tower 22 attack.
Another report – from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor – said that six members of a pro-Iran militia group had been killed in eastern Syria during strikes believed to be carried out by the US.Another report – from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor – said that six members of a pro-Iran militia group had been killed in eastern Syria during strikes believed to be carried out by the US.
Warplanes carried out four rounds of raids on sites housing Iran-backed groups in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, the Observatory said, three of them targeting al-Mayadeen and one striking Albu Kamal, near the Iraqi border.Warplanes carried out four rounds of raids on sites housing Iran-backed groups in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, the Observatory said, three of them targeting al-Mayadeen and one striking Albu Kamal, near the Iraqi border.
The reported start of US bombing in the region follows Joe Biden’s vow to retaliate against pro-Iranian militias over the drone attack last Sunday against a US base in Jordan, near Syria. On Thursday, the US said it blamed Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-linked militias for the deadly drone attack at the weekend on the remote Tower 22 logistics base in Jordan, near the border with Syria and Iraq. Three US army reservists were killed after a living quarters was struck at night and over 80 wounded.
Just minutes before the first US media reports, the US president had attended a solemn military ritual at a Delaware airbase for the return of the three dead soldiers. President Joe Biden promised on Tuesday there would be a military response, and on Thursday Lloyd Austin, the defense secretary, said it would be “multi-tier” and could go on for a number of days “depending on the situation”.
But the air strikes only came on Friday night, a few hours after Biden attended a solemn military ritual at a Delaware airbase for the return of the three dead soldiers. The president did not speak at the tribute, but did meet with families of those who had been killed.
Six servicemen wearing camouflage, dark berets and white gloves marched slowly three times on and off the ramp of a huge C-5 transport plane to carry the bodies in flag-draped “transfer cases” – as the military calls caskets used in transportation – to a waiting van.Six servicemen wearing camouflage, dark berets and white gloves marched slowly three times on and off the ramp of a huge C-5 transport plane to carry the bodies in flag-draped “transfer cases” – as the military calls caskets used in transportation – to a waiting van.
Biden, accompanied by the first lady, Jill Biden, watched with his hand over his heart and a grim expression. Family members watched from their own area, screened off from the press.Biden, accompanied by the first lady, Jill Biden, watched with his hand over his heart and a grim expression. Family members watched from their own area, screened off from the press.
Other than the terse military commands to the pallbearers, there was total silence across the vast airfield, emphasizing the powerful – but restrained – emotion of the day.Other than the terse military commands to the pallbearers, there was total silence across the vast airfield, emphasizing the powerful – but restrained – emotion of the day.
The secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CQ Brown, also attended what’s known as a “dignified transfer” – their presence highlighting the importance, as well as relative rarity, of returning dead service members in the wake of US exits from major foreign conflicts.The secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CQ Brown, also attended what’s known as a “dignified transfer” – their presence highlighting the importance, as well as relative rarity, of returning dead service members in the wake of US exits from major foreign conflicts.
Although the US is now free from its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, surging tensions in the Middle East, sparked by the Israel-Hamas fighting, threaten to drag US forces back into regional conflict.Although the US is now free from its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, surging tensions in the Middle East, sparked by the Israel-Hamas fighting, threaten to drag US forces back into regional conflict.
These were the first US military deaths to hostile fire since the 7 October Hamas surprise attack on Israel that sparked a deadly Israeli assault on Gaza.
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