Iraq: After drone attack, US strikes Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah's facilities
What's the story
The United States (US) military struck on three sites used by Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq on Monday (local time), Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
The US retaliated after a drone attack injured three American soldiers earlier on Monday.
The attack, which likely killed several Kataib Hezbollah militants and destroyed several facilities, came upon US President Joe Biden's directions.
Notably, US troops stationed in Iraq and Syria have become the targets of Iran-aligned groups amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Context
Why does this story matter?
There are around 2,500 US soldiers in Iraq and 900 in Syria in a bid to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group.
Meanwhile, attacks against US troops in Iraq have increased as a result of the conflict in Gaza between American ally Israel and Hamas.
To note, Kataib Hezbollah is a Shiite group formed in 2007 with the help of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. In 2009, the US designated it as a "foreign terrorist organization."
Details
Details of drone attack and US response
Head of US Central Command, General Michael Erik Kurilla, said, "These strikes are intended to hold accountable those elements directly responsible for attacks on coalition forces in Iraq and Syria and degrade their ability to continue attacks."
"We will always protect our forces," he added.
On Monday, a one-way drone attacked a US base in Erbil, Iraq, injuring three US soldiers—one of them critically.
However, the Pentagon has not released details about the injured service members so far.
What Next?
President Biden orders strikes on Kataib Hezbollah
President Biden was reportedly briefed on the drone attack by the White House National Security Council (NSC), prompting him to order the Pentagon to ready a response.
NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said, "The president places no higher priority than the protection of American personnel serving in harm's way. The United States will act at a time and in a manner of our choosing should these attacks continue."
Austin also expressed concern and prayed for the injured American soldiers.
Twitter Post
Defense secretary posted this message on X
Today, at @POTUS’ direction, U.S. military forces conducted necessary & proportionate strikes on 3 facilities used by Kataib Hezbollah & affiliated groups in Iraq. These precision strikes are a response to a series of attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq & Syria by…
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) December 26, 2023
Insights
100 attacks on US military since Israel-Hamas war began
According to Reuters, the US military has already come under attack at least 100 times in Iraq and Syria since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October.
The US embassy compound in Iraq's capital, Baghdad, also came under mortar fire earlier in December.
The latest unrest came less than a week after Austin returned from a trip to the Middle East focused on containing efforts by Iran-aligned groups to widen the Israel-Hamas conflict.