U.S. CARRIES OUT AIR STRIKES AGAINST MILITIA IN IRAQ AND SYRIA

The United States has carried out another round of air raids against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq and Syria, in response to drone attacks against us personnel and facilities in Iraq. reports say the militias is threatening a retaliation.

In a statement on Sunday, the us military said it targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq.

Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least five fighters were killed and several others wounded.

The attacks came at the direction of US President Joe Biden, the second time he has ordered retaliatory attacks against Iran-backed militia since taking office five months ago. Biden last ordered limited bombing against a target in Syria in February, that time in response to rocket attacks in Iraq.

John Kirby, spokesman for the Pentagon, said in a statement that “The United States took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation – but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message.”

Kirby disclosed that the targets were selected because “these facilities are utilized by Iran-backed militias that are engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against US personnel and facilities in Iraq”.

The Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada military factions were among the “several Iran-backed militia groups” that had used the targeted facilities, Kirby added.

Armed groups aligned with Iran in a statement named four members of the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada faction they said were killed in the attack on the Syria-Iraq border. They vowed to retaliate.

“We will remain the shield defending our beloved nation, and we are fully ready … to respond and take revenge,” it said.

Since the start of the year there have been more than 40 attacks against US interests in Iraq, where 2,500 American troops are deployed as part of an international coalition to fight the armed group ISIL (ISIS).  The vast majority have been bombs against logistics convoys, while 14 were rocket attacks.