US Retaliates Following Attacks in Iraq, Syria

(RepublicanPress.org) – The effects of Hamas’ attack on Israel in October have reverberated through the region, prompting other groups to take advantage of the chaos. According to CNBC, several parties aligned with Iran disagree with Israel’s moves in Gaza and believe the United States is partly to blame. To that end, militant groups have been launching drone strikes on US forces in Iraq and Syria. This time, there were injuries to American soldiers.

On December 25, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III released a statement about the most recent retaliatory strikes from the US in Iraq. He explained that President Joe Biden directed the US military to strike three facilities in the country used by Kataib Hezbollah and other associated groups.

The strikes were in response to a “series of attacks against US personnel,” including one on Erbil Air Base on Christmas morning. The secretary said the groups who launched the original attacks were “Iranian-sponsored militias.”

The United States conducted a round of airstrikes in Iraq, destroying three facilities used by Iranian proxies that had been targeting American and coalition troops, U.S. officials said. https://t.co/PIh7dQjZSp

— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) December 26, 2023

Three US personnel members were injured in the drone strikes, with one service member in critical condition. Austin sent his prayers to the affected Americans. The secretary also said he and Biden “will not hesitate” to “defend the United States, our troops, and our interests.” It’s a top priority. That said, Austin said the US is not interested in escalating conflict in the region. CNBC reported the strike likely killed “a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants” and destroyed multiple facilities.

There have reportedly been at least 100 attacks against the US military in Iraq and Syria since the start of the Hamas-Israeli war. One major escalation happened earlier in the month against the US embassy compound in Baghdad, marking the first such attack in over a year.

The Military Times recently reported that similar attacks since October 7 resulted in over 60 US troop injuries. At the time, the US military had carried out three strikes against facilities used by Iran-backed groups in Syria.