US forces carried out airstrikes against an Iran-backed militia in Iraq after the group had attacked an air base where American troops are stationed.
The three targets included the headquarters of Kataib Hebollah as well as a training facility and storage space for missiles and drones, US Central Command said in a statement on Tuesday evening. The facilities are also used by other militant outfits, Central Command added.
“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,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
The operation occurred as the US and UK have been conducting an air campaign against the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, which has disrupted commercial shipping in the Red Sea with a series of missile and drone attacks.
The military actions highlight the danger facing the US and other countries that the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza will ignite a broader conflict in the Middle East.
“We do not seek to escalate conflict in the region,” Austin said in his statement. “We are fully prepared to take further measures to protect our people and our facilities.”
First Published: Jan 24, 2024 4:49 AM IST
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