US bombs 85 Iran-backed targets in Iraq, Syria

Biden reaffirmed his promise of protection, saying, ‘If you harm an American, we will respond.’

By JNS

The United States attacked Iranian proxy targets in Iraq and Syria on Friday in retaliation for an Iran-backed attack in Jordan on Sunday that killed three U.S. soldiers.

“This afternoon, at my direction, U.S. military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack U.S. forces,” U.S. President Joe Biden stated. “Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing.”

Militant groups, backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, were responsible for the drone attack in Jordan, Biden said.

“The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world,” he said. “But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.”

U.S. Central Command forces conducted airstrikes “against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups” in Iraq and Syria at 4 p.m. Washington time, CENTCOM stated.

“U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States. The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions,” CENTCOM stated.

“The facilities that were struck included command and control operations centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and coalition forces,” it added.