President Biden orders retaliatory strikes against Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq
President Joe Biden has ordered retaliatory strikes against Iranian-backed militia groups after three U.S. servicemembers were injured in a drone attack in northern Iraq. The attack took place at Erbil Air Base, where one of the U.S. troops was critically injured.
The Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah claimed credit for the attack, which utilized a one-way attack drone. In response, President Biden ordered the U.S. military to target three locations used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups.
The strikes were carried out at about 4:45 a.m. on Tuesday in Iraq, less than 13 hours after the U.S. personnel were attacked. According to U.S. Central Command, the retaliatory strikes destroyed the targeted facilities and likely killed a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants.
“The President places no higher priority than the protection of American personnel serving in harm’s way,” said National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson. “The United States will act at a time and in a manner of our choosing should these attacks continue.”
The U.S. has been facing escalating threats and actions against American forces in the region since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the devastating war in Gaza. Iranian-backed militant groups have been targeting U.S. facilities since mid-October, while Iran has also been blamed for attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants.
The Biden administration has sought to prevent the Israel-Hamas war from spiraling into a wider regional conflict. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated, “While we do not seek to escalate conflict in the region, we are committed and fully prepared to take further necessary measures to protect our people and our facilities.”
The U.S. has thousands of troops in Iraq and hundreds in Syria, both on missions to combat threats such as the Islamic State group. They have come under dozens of attacks since the war began on Oct. 7, with the U.S. attributing responsibility to Iran-backed groups.
President Biden’s order for retaliatory strikes underscores the seriousness with which the United States is prepared to respond to threats against American personnel and interests in the region.