Simultaneously, the U.S. wants to avoid any escalation that could inflame the region and potentially trigger a wider conflict.
Iranian strikes on US interests
The Pentagon’s records indicate that a total of 12 attacks have taken place on U.S. bases and personnel in Iraq, with an additional four in Syria, all since October 17.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder disclosed that two of these assaults, employing drones to target al-Asad Airbase in Iraq and al-Tanf Garrison in Syria, resulted in injuries to 21 U.S. personnel.
In a statement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin described the US hits as precision self-defense strikes. Emphasizing they were a response to a continuing series of attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria.
Austin clarified that the strikes, authorized by President Joe Biden, were executed with the primary objective of conveying the U.S.’s unyielding stance against the attacks on American interests.
The message is clear: the United States will not tolerate these aggressions and will take every necessary measure to safeguard its personnel and interests. Notably, these military actions are entirely separate from Israel’s recent conflict with Hamas.
