The United States has conducted overnight airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on more than 85 targets associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and militias backed by it. According to media accounts, over 30 people were killed in the airstrikes.
The strikes have fueled the regional crisis that has arisen since Israel and Hamas entered war. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani, warned in a statement that the U.S. attacks will result in increased tension and instability in the region. Iraq also condemned the US attacks, claiming they killed 16 individuals, including civilians. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the strikes killed 23 individuals in Syria.
As per US, the strikes are the first part of its multi-tiered response to Iran-backed militants’ attack on its troops last weekend. Additional US military operations are likely in the following days. According to a statement from the United States military, the strikes targeted command and control centers, rockets, missiles, and drone storage facilities, as well as logistical and munition supply chain sites.
Despite the bombings, the Pentagon has stated that it does not want war with Iran, and does not believe Tehran does either. Meanwhile, Republicans have intensified pressure on the Biden administration for a stricter action.