Biden Orders U.S. Military To Launch Airstrikes Against Iran-Backed Militia In Eastern Syria

The U.S carried out an air strikes in Syria targeting groups affiliated with an Iran-backed militia in retaliation to rocket attacks on American troops and coalitional personnel in northern Iraq earlier this month, Pentagon officials said.

"At President Joe Biden's direction, U.S. military forces, earlier this evening, launched airstrikes against infrastructure utilized by Iranian-backed militant groups in Eastern Syria. These strikes were authorized in response to recent attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel in Iraq, and to on-going threats to those personnel, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said in a statement.

The strikes destroyed multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups including Kait'ib Hezbollah and Kait'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

Eastern Syria has been an area of intense military conflict between Iran-backed militia groups who are attempting to oust U.S. presence in northern Iraq

"This proportionate military response was conducted along with diplomatic measures, including consultation with coalition partners. The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel. At the same time, we have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to de-escalate the overall situation in both Eastern Syria and Iraq", Kirby added.

A series of rocket attacks on Feb. 15 in Erbil, Iraq, killed a Filipino national who was a U.S. contractor, while injuring a U.S. service member and other contractors.