US strikes Iranian-affiliated militia targets in Syria and Iraq in retaliation

The US launched significant airstrikes targeting 85 locations in Iraq and Syria on Friday, marking the beginning of what is expected to be a series of larger-scale strikes against Iranian-backed militias responsible for attacks on US troops in the Middle East.

These retaliatory strikes were prompted by a drone attack carried out by Iran-backed militants on a US military outpost in Jordan last Sunday, resulting in the deaths of three US service members and the injury of over 40 others.

According to a statement from US Central Command, the airstrikes targeted Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.

More than 85 targets were struck, utilizing various aircraft, including long-range bombers from the United States, and over 125 precision munitions were deployed during the operation.

The facilities hit included command and control centers, intelligence facilities, rocket and missile sites, unmanned aerial vehicle storage areas, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities used by militia groups and their IRGC sponsors, who have been implicated in attacks against US and Coalition forces.

These airstrikes occurred shortly after President Joe Biden attended a dignified transfer ceremony and met with the families of the soldiers killed in the Jordan attack.