Retaliation for killed soldiers
USA carries out air strikes on Syria and Iraq
February 2, 2024, 10:46 p.m
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Three soldiers died in a drone attack on a US military base on Sunday. The USA blames pro-Iranian militias – and is now carrying out retaliatory strikes on targets in Syria and Iraq.
In response to the deadly attack by pro-Iranian militias on American soldiers in the Middle East, the US military says it has attacked more than 85 targets in Syria and Iraq. The US regional command Centcom said that command centers, intelligence sites and weapons depots used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and militias affiliated with them were bombed from the air.
On Sunday, three US soldiers were killed in a drone attack by pro-Iranian militias in Jordan near the Syrian border. Numerous other soldiers were injured. Biden blamed “radical, Iran-backed militant groups” for the attack and threatened retaliation. On Wednesday, the US government officially attributed the attack to a group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which had previously claimed responsibility for the attack.
It is a kind of umbrella group for pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, which have been operating together under this general name since the terrorist attacks by the Islamist Hamas on October 7th in Israel. This includes the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah. It is one of the strongest militias in Iraq and is calling for the withdrawal of US troops from the country. Northeast Jordan, where the deadly attack on US soldiers occurred, borders both Syria and Iraq.
Attacks on US bases almost daily
Since the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas began in October, pro-Iranian militias have carried out almost daily attacks on US military bases in Iraq and Syria. The US government responded with air strikes in both countries. In addition, the Yemeni Houthis – in solidarity with Hamas – repeatedly attack freighters in the Red Sea. In response, the US and Britain, with the support of allies, carried out military strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.
The US air strikes have not yet deterred the militias from further attacks. Concerns about escalation are growing. For US President Biden, the action against the militias is a balancing act. On the one hand, he wants to avoid his country being drawn into a regional war in the Middle East. On the other hand, he wants to show strength and bring an end to the attacks. At the same time, he is under pressure in the USA – some Republicans are calling for more aggressive countermeasures to the attacks against the US military.
Meanwhile, the remains of the three killed soldiers have been returned to the USA. The arrival of the coffins wrapped in stars and stripes at the US Air Force Base Dover in the state of Delaware was attended by US President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chief of Staff Charles Brown. The arrival of the bodies in minutes of silence was broadcast on US television.