- US launches airstrikes in Syria and Iraq in response to killing of American soldiers in Jordan, targeting sites associated with Iran’s IRGC Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.
- Strikes hit seven facilities, including command centers and missile storage, employing over 125 precision munitions.
- President Biden attends transfer of fallen soldiers’ bodies, emphasizes US will respond forcefully but does not seek conflict; Iraqi army condemns strikes as violation of sovereignty.
Additional Coverage:
On Friday, the United States launched airstrikes in Syria and Iraq in response to the killing of three American soldiers in Jordan. The strikes targeted more than 85 sites associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups. President Joe Biden stated that these attacks would continue at strategic times and locations chosen by the United States. The retaliation comes after a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American soldiers and wounded over 40 others. The US blames Iran-backed militants for the attack, though Iran denies any involvement.
The airstrikes hit a total of seven facilities, three in Iraq and four in Syria, which were used by militia groups backed by Iran. These targets included command and control centers, intelligence centers, missile storage, and logistics facilities. Over 125 precision munitions were employed in the strikes, according to the US Central Command. President Biden emphasized that the US does not seek conflict but will respond forcefully to any harm inflicted on Americans.
Earlier in the day, President Biden attended the dignified transfer of the fallen soldiers’ bodies at Dover Air Force Base. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also confirmed that the US response would be multifaceted. Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed that US Air Force B-1 bombers were used in the airstrikes. However, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the administration’s handling of the situation, accusing them of telegraphing the response to Iran.
The US forces had been waiting for favorable weather conditions before launching the airstrikes. Initial reports indicate that the targets were hit successfully, and US officials expect casualties on the enemy side. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, stated that the attack in Jordan was planned, resourced, and facilitated by a group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
Following the airstrikes, Kirby assured that these responses had only just begun and would continue beyond the initial attack. However, the Iraqi army condemned the strikes, considering them a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and warning of unforeseen consequences for Iraq and the region.