In a letter to Congressional leaders on Wednesday, President Joe Biden mentioned in a letter to Congressional leaders that three services in Iraq are being utilized by “Iranian-affiliated teams” to thwart assaults on U.S. personnel within the area by Iran and its allies. He wrote that he had ordered air strikes on Christmas Day. The assault got here hours after the White House introduced that an explosive drone launched by Iranian proxies within the nation wounded three U.S. service members at a navy base in northern Iraq.
“This airstrike weakens and disrupts the continuing collection of assaults towards the United States and our companions, and threatens to undermine and disrupt the continuing collection of assaults towards the United States and our companions, and to make sure that Iran and Iranian-backed militias are attacking U.S. personnel and services,” Biden mentioned in a letter to the chairman. “The intention was to discourage them from finishing up or supporting additional assaults towards them.” Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington).
President Joe Biden wrote that he ordered Christmas airstrikes on three services utilized by “Iran-linked teams” in Iraq to discourage Tehran and its allies from attacking U.S. personnel within the area.
The assault got here hours after the White House introduced that an explosive drone launched by Iranian proxies within the nation wounded three U.S. service members at a navy base in northern Iraq.
Iraqi authorities condemns airstrike as ‘hostile act’
The United States has despatched 1000’s of troops to Iraq to coach Iraqi forces and struggle Islamic State remnants, and has a number of hundred troops in Syria, primarily on missions towards ISIS. Since the Israeli-Hamas struggle started on October 7, Iran has suffered dozens of assaults, however no deadly assaults have but occurred. The US has pinned the blame on Iranian-backed teams. The US navy introduced it had carried out quite a few airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.Since the outbreak of the struggle, together with by unmanned drones and AC-130 gunships.
National Security Council spokesman Adrian Watson mentioned Christmas morning that one of many injured Americans was in important situation. The U.S. navy command within the Middle East mentioned in a press release that the airstrike “doubtless killed numerous Kataib Hezbollah militants,” however there have been no civilian casualties.
The Iraqi authorities disputed this evaluation, and the Prime Minister’s Office reported that 18 folks have been injured, together with civilians.
“This is a transparent hostile act. It is opposite to the pursuit of lasting mutual advantages in establishing safety and stability, and is opposite to the said intention on the a part of the United States to strengthen relations with Iraq.” The prime minister’s workplace mentioned in a press release that ISIS and different extremist teams “not pose a risk to Iraq’s nationwide safety.”
“We is not going to enable any group to undermine what has been achieved and strengthened with treasured sacrifices,” the assertion continued.
The United States has despatched 1000’s of troops to Iraq to coach Iraqi forces and struggle Islamic State remnants, and has a number of hundred troops in Syria, primarily on missions towards ISIS. They have been attacked dozens of occasions because the Israeli-Hamas struggle started on October 7, however there have been no deadly accidents but. The United States blames Iranian-backed teams.
The US navy mentioned it has carried out quite a few airstrikes in Iraq and Syria because the struggle started, together with by unmanned drones and AC-130 gunships.
Kataib Hezbollah is a U.S.-designated terrorist group that fought with U.S. and coalition forces through the Iraq War and is “lively in Iraq with auxiliary operations all through Syria,” in response to the nonprofit Counter-Extremism Project. It is a supporting paramilitary group.
In a speech in January 2021, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was a hardliner relating to relations between the United States and Iran, mentioned, “Iran didn’t cooperate in planning the 9/11 assaults or predicted the 9/11 assaults.” “There isn’t any proof that they have been,” he and different U.S. officers mentioned. It depicts the ties between the Iranian authorities and al-Qaeda, which harbors Taliban terrorists who deliberate assaults.
Under the AUMF, U.S. forces have performed greater than a dozen airstrikes towards the Somali terrorist group al-Shabaab this 12 months, in response to U.S. Africa Command. In one other counterterrorism operation, additionally justified as authorized beneath the AUMF, the United States has greater than 1,000 troops stationed in Niger, the place a latest coup happened. Even although France withdrew its troops this month, the Pentagon mentioned it could proceed to take care of counterterrorism forces within the nation.
Turkiye this week launched airstrikes on 70 places linked to Kurdish militant teams elsewhere in Iraq and Syria. Turkey’s protection minister introduced that 59 Kurdish militants have been killed in retaliation for the deaths of 12 Turkish troopers in Iraq, however native Kurdish officers and Syrian support teams mentioned they have been killed as a part of the airstrikes. He mentioned civilians have been killed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.