“These strikes will degrade the Iranian backed groups’ ability to plan and launch future attacks on U.S. and Coalition forces who are in the region to conduct D-ISIS [Defeat-Islamic State] operations,” read a statement from the army’s Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US troops in the Middle East.
It added that the strikes hit two locations associated with the militia groups.
“Our message is clear. Attacks against U.S. and coalition partners in the region will not be tolerated,” the CENTCOM statement cited its commander, General Michael Erik Kurilla, as saying. “We will continue to take every step necessary to protect our personnel and coalition partners and respond to reckless attacks.”
Around 2,500 American troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria are leading an international coalition through Operation Inherent Resolve that has assisted Kurdish, Iraqi, and local Syrian forces in the fight against ISIS, which once held swathes of land in Iraq and Syria but was declared devoid of territorial control in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
Attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria have increased since the Palestinian Hamas group carried out a cross-border attack on southern Israel in October 2023. The pro-Iran groups accuse the US of supporting Israel in the fight against Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement - another Iran-backed group.
