**Retaliatory Strikes Ordered After U.S. Service Members Wounded in Drone Attack**
A drone attack on the Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq carried out by Kataib Hezbollah militants early Monday morning left three U.S. service members wounded, the Pentagon confirmed. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin disclosed that one of the wounded service members is in critical condition.
In response to the attack, President Biden ordered retaliatory strikes on “three locations utilized by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups focused specifically on unmanned aerial drone activities,” according to National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson. The retaliatory strikes were conducted in Iraq and reportedly “likely killed a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants,” with no civilians believed to have been injured or killed.
However, Iraqi officials reported that the U.S. strikes killed one militant and injured 18 others, leading the government to denounce the strikes as a “hostile act” and an “unacceptable attack on Iraqi sovereignty” that damaged relations between Iraq and the U.S.
This recent drone attack and subsequent retaliatory strikes come amidst ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran-backed militias. There have been multiple attacks targeting U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, with the U.S. conducting several rounds of strikes on what defense officials say are Iran-linked weapons facilities and Iran-backed fighters.
The situation is further complicated by Iranian-linked Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been carrying out attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The White House has accused Iran of being “deeply involved” in these attacks, leading to a temporary suspension of gas and oil shipments in the Red Sea by energy giant BP.
In a Nov. 15 interview with CBS News, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian denied Iran’s involvement in the drone attacks from Yemen, citing U.S. support for Israel in the Israel-Hamas war as a factor in the escalating tensions. The situation in the Middle East remains volatile, with ongoing attacks and retaliatory strikes creating a complex and precarious diplomatic and security landscape.
Reported by Faris Tanyos.