U. S. infantrymen have been wounded in attacks since the start of the war in Gaza, officials say.
“The United States does not seek confrontation and has no objective or preference to engage in additional hostilities, but such Iranian-backed attacks on U. S. forces are unacceptable and will have to cease,” Austin said in a statement, adding: “If “As attacks by Iranian proxies against US forces continue, we will not hesitate to take additional mandatory measures to protect our people. “
On Friday, a Defense Department official said U. S. forces had detected a “one-way attack drone” just a few miles from the al-Assad military base, where U. S. forces are stationed in western Iraq. “They managed to shoot him down in an additional incident,” the official said.
Thursday’s airstrikes followed a warning from President Biden, who has faced increasing pressure to retaliate for attacks on American workers, to Iran’s ideal leader that the United States would act if provoked. further.
The U. S. has faced attacks from Iranian-linked militants in Iraq, where the Pentagon maintains a force of about 2,500 troops, and in Syria, where the U. S. workforce has numbered about 900 for many years.
Biden’s leadership has been staunch in favor of Israel following Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack that killed more than 1,400 people, precipitating shipments of ammunition and other weapons. Authorities are now urging caution as Israel prepares for an expected ground offensive in Gaza, where the government says the death toll has surpassed 7,000.
Austin said the measures announced Thursday “constitute an update to our strategy in the Israel-Hamas conflict. “
Pentagon Sends Troops to Israel Amid Gaza War
Speaking at the United Nations the day before, Iran’s foreign minister addressed the plight of Palestinian civilians caught up in the fighting and warned that the United States would be “saved from this fire” if the fighting in Gaza escalated. The Lebanese armed organization Hezbollah, also subsidized through Iran, is the ultimate concern for Israel and the United States.
Pentagon officials, speaking to reporters after the airstrikes were announced, said it was not without delay that it became clear who, if any, had been killed or wounded in the retaliatory operation, which they said was in self-defense.
The officials, who, like other officials, spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with rules set by the Defense Ministry, said Iran was to blame for the recent violence against U. S. troops, but did not say Tehran had directed any explicit attacks.
Hezbollah intensifies its attacks, according to the IDF, fueling fears of a wider conflict
“Iran seeks to hide its hand and a safe point of denial, and we don’t allow that to happen,” a senior defense official said. “We hold Iran responsible for the movements of the teams it trains and equips. “
In the face of emerging violence, the Pentagon has sought to tighten security measures for deployed U. S. troops, announcing the activation of a high-altitude defense battery (THAAD) and the movement of more patriot battalions to the region.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Friday that the U. S. military is deploying defensive systems in the Middle East as Israel expands its war in Gaza, with some already in position and others on the way. The Biden administration, he said, is “confident” in its ability to send U. S. troops to the region.
Asked if the airstrikes announced Thursday could lead to additional violence, the defense official replied: “That would be a resolution made in Tehran. “
“Our wish,” the official added, “is that Iran’s more sensible leaders will order their proxies and militias to stop these attacks on U. S. labor corps in Iraq and Syria. “
Officials said the measures were coordinated with Israel.
Dan Lamothe contributed to this report.
The Pentagon released a report last Friday reviewing the type of fighter jets used in Thursday’s airstrikes. The operation was carried out through an F-15 and an F-16. This article has been updated.
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