U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that the American strikes launched on Friday against Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria, in response to a drone attack that recently killed three American soldiers in Jordan, "will continue." Biden stated in a press release, "Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing," adding, "The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world, but those who may seek to harm us should know that if you harm an American, we will respond," according to AFP.
The U.S. military announced on Friday evening that it executed airstrikes in Iraq and Syria targeting the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and allied armed factions. It also stated that it struck more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, specifying that the hit sites included command and control centers, spying facilities, missile storage locations, and drone sites. Additionally, it noted that more than 125 precision-guided munitions were used in the airstrikes.
**"Violation of Iraqi Sovereignty"**
Meanwhile, the military spokesperson for Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani claimed that the U.S. retaliatory strikes constitute a "violation of Iraqi sovereignty," expressing concern over "grave" consequences for Iraq’s security and stability. Yahya Rasool confirmed in a statement that there were "U.S.-led airstrikes" in the Al-Qaim area near the Syrian border and on "other Iraqi border areas." He emphasized that "these strikes amount to a breach of Iraqi sovereignty, undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government, and pose a threat that drags Iraq and the region into adverse consequences, with severe implications for security and stability in Iraq and the area."
**Escalating Tensions**
It is worth noting that Washington had promised retaliatory strikes in response to the drone attack on a base in Jordan. Since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, tensions have generally escalated in the region across various fronts from Iraq to Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon, where Iranian-backed armed factions are present. Military bases housing U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have been subjected to over 165 attacks from those factions since October 17. Meanwhile, U.S. forces have conducted multiple strikes in both countries on the headquarters of those armed groups, threatening further action if attacks continue.
