Pentagon: No Indication from Iran for Its Agents to Increase Attacks on U.S. Forces

The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated on Monday that the United States has not detected any direct order from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to attack U.S. forces in the Middle East. This statement comes after a series of attacks in Iraq and Syria carried out by forces suspected of being backed by Iran. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told reporters, "We do not necessarily see that Iran explicitly ordered them to carry out such attacks." When pressed to elaborate, he added, "We have not detected a direct order, for example, from the Supreme Leader saying go out and do this." However, Ryder stated that the United States ultimately holds Iran responsible for such attacks carried out by armed groups "based on the fact that they are supported by Iran."