US forces targeted facilities used by Iran-backed militants in Iraq in response to attacks on American personnel in both that country and Syria, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday.
The strikes - which will add to already significant pressure for US forces to depart the country - came just days after American troops in western Iraq were targeted with ballistic missiles and rockets, an attack the Pentagon blamed on militants supported by Tehran.
“US military forces conducted necessary and proportionate strikes on three facilities used by the Iranian-backed Ketaeb Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq,” Mr Austin said in a statement.
“These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against US and coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias,” he said, referring to the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group.
“We do not seek to escalate conflict in the region,” but “are fully prepared to take further measures to protect our people and our facilities,” Mr Austin added.
US Central Command said the strikes targeted Ketaeb Hezbollah “headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack UAV (drone) capabilities.”