'These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria,' said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement.
U.S. military aircraft carried out strikes in eastern Syria against facilities associated with Iranian-backed militant groups, the Pentagon said Thursday night.
"These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17," he said."The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today's action to make clear that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests," he added.
Senior U.S. officials have publicly blamed Iran for the more than 16 drone and rocket attacks on military bases in Iraq and Syria over the past week, which the U.S. believes have been carried out by Iranian-backed militant groups. The American troops in Iraq and Syria are stationed on a handful of bases equipped with weapons systems to help prevent rocket and drone attacks that have been historically carried out by militants sponsored by Iran.
"I think we've been crystal clear that we maintain the inherent right of defending our troops and we will take all necessary measures to protect our forces and our interests overseas as it relates to these groups," Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters earlier on Thursday.
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