Washington, D.C.: In a swift response to a drone attack that injured three US service members in Northern Iraq, President Joe Biden ordered targeted strikes on three facilities used by Kataeb Hezbollah and affiliated groups, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“These precision strikes are a response to a series of attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias, including an attack by Iran-affiliated Kataeb Hezbollah and affiliated groups on Arbil Air Base earlier today,” stated Austin in an official statement.
National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson confirmed that one US troop suffered critical injuries in the attack, for which Kataib Hezbollah claimed credit.
Biden, currently at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, was briefed on the attack and directed the Pentagon to prepare response options. The strikes targeted locations utilized by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups.
The incident follows months of escalating threats and actions against American forces in the region. The US has attributed the rising violence to Iran and its network of proxy groups, including Yemen’s Houthis, who have targeted commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea.
The administration’s measured response has faced criticism, with some Republicans expressing concerns over not responding to every attempt on American troops.
The US has thousands of troops in Iraq, involved in training Iraqi forces and combating remnants of the Islamic State group. The situation remains tense in the region as the US seeks to prevent further escalation.
