US launches strikes on Iraq over drone attack blamed on Iran-backed forces | Conflict News

White Home says strikes focused three websites utilized by Kataeb Hezbollah and different Iran-affiliated teams in Iraq.

The USA has launched strikes on Iran-aligned forces in Iraq after a drone assault that wounded three US service members, one among them critically, the White Home has introduced.

US President Joe Biden ordered the strikes on three websites utilized by Kataeb Hezbollah and affiliated teams in Iraq, US Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson mentioned in an announcement on Monday night time.

Watson mentioned the strikes “centered particularly on unmanned aerial drone actions”.

“The President locations no increased precedence than the safety of American personnel serving in hurt’s manner,” she mentioned. “The USA will act at a time and in a way of our selecting ought to these assaults proceed.”

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned the “vital and proportionate” strikes had been supposed to “disrupt and degrade” the capabilities of Iran-aligned teams chargeable for assaults in opposition to US personnel, together with a drone assault on the Erbil Air Base on Monday.

“At present’s assault led to 3 accidents to US personnel, leaving one service member in essential situation. My prayers are with the courageous Individuals who had been injured immediately,” Austin mentioned.

“And let me be clear – the President and I can’t hesitate to take vital motion to defend the USA, our troops, and our pursuits. There is no such thing as a increased precedence.”

The US Central Command mentioned early assessments indicated the strikes destroyed the focused services and certain killed a number of Kataeb Hezbollah fighters, and that no civilians had been killed.

The strikes are the newest indication of how Israel’s struggle in Gaza is reverberating throughout the Center East, the place there may be widespread outrage over the mounting Palestinian dying toll.

A minimum of 20,424 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, when the Palestinian armed group Hamas launched a shock multi-pronged assault on southern Israel, in response to Palestinian authorities.

Washington has blamed Iranian proxy forces in Iraq and Syria for normal assaults on US and allied forces within the area because the begin of the struggle in Gaza. US officers have reported at the least 103 assaults in opposition to its troops in Iraq and Syria since October 17.

Tehran has not commented on the newest strikes however has beforehand denied directing proxy teams to assault US forces within the area.