US Sends Strong Message to Militia Groups
The United States launched a series of airstrikes on Friday evening in response to the deaths of three US service members on a US base in Jordan. The strikes targeted Iran-backed militia targets in both Iraq and Syria. The White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, emphasized that the US is not seeking conflict with Iran or in the Middle East. However, he made it clear that these strikes “will not end” tonight.
Strikes Aimed at Avoiding Civilian Casualties
Kirby assured that the targets were carefully selected to avoid civilian casualties. The decision to strike was based on irrefutable evidence connecting these targets to attacks against US troops in the region. Additionally, the Iraqi government was informed prior to the launch of the strikes. The precision of the targets was highly emphasized by Lieutenant General Douglas A. Sims II. He stated, “We hit exactly what we meant to hit.” The US officials had been waiting for favorable weather conditions, and Friday provided “the best opportunity” to carry out the strikes.
A Signal to Those Who Seek to Harm Americans
Kirby dismissed any connection between the timing of the strikes and the dignified transfer of the remains of the fallen troops at Dover Air Force Base. However, he acknowledged that the strikes were meant to send a signal to those who pose a threat to Americans. The goal of these strikes is to put an end to the attacks on US service members in the region. Kirby declared, “The signal is the attacks have to stop,” and added that the facilities targeted were being used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and their proxy groups to carry out these attacks.
Additional Response Actions Expected
Kirby made it clear that the strikes were not a one-time occurrence. He stated that there will be additional response actions taken in the coming days. The United States does not wish to see any more attacks on its troops or facilities in the region. President Biden has previously held Iran responsible for the most recent attack due to their supply of weapons to the perpetrators. The US has targeted 85 locations, including command and control operations, intelligence centers, rockets, missiles, and unmanned vehicle storages.
Fallen Troops Remembered
Sergeant William Jerome Rivers, 46; Specialist Kennedy Landon Sanders, 24; and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, were the three US service members who lost their lives in last weekend’s attacks. They were all from Georgia. As the US takes action against the Iran-backed militia groups, their sacrifice will be remembered.