United States carries out first airstrikes under Biden in Syria
On the directions of President Joe Biden, United States carried out airstrikes in Syria, targeting militia backed by Iran, the Pentagon confirmed. Spokesman John Kirby said the operation targeted infrastructure in eastern Syria that were used by Iranian-backed militant groups. The strikes were in response to a rocket attack in Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and injured a US service personnel.
President Biden will protect American and coalition personnel: Kirby
The strikes, reports said, were limited in scope. This was, however, the first military action green-lit by Biden, who took oath on January 20. Kirby said the operation sends an unambiguous message that the President will protect American and coalition personnel. "We have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to de-escalate the overall situation in eastern Syria and Iraq," he added.
Seven 500-pound bombs were dropped, specific facilities were destroyed
In the calculated strikes, seven 500-pound bombs were dropped on a cluster of buildings located at an unofficial crossing of the Syria-Iraq border. This area is primarily used to smuggle fighters and weapons, reports NYT. Thursday's airstrikes "specifically destroyed multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militia troops, including Kata'ib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada," said Kirby.
Kata'ib Hezbollah denied having role in February 15 attack
On February 15, rockets had hit the military base of the US at the Erbil International Airport in the Kurdish-run region. Though Kata'ib Hezbollah, the most high-profile Iran-backed militia in Iraq, was blamed, its spokesperson said, "We absolutely did not target Erbil or the Green Zone." Reportedly, a little-known Shiite militant group, called Saraya Awliya al-Dam, had claimed responsibility for the attack.
US airstrikes were condemned by experts
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Kirby had said Iraq is investigating the February 15 attack and "that right now, we are not able to give you a certain attribution as to who was behind these attacks." Separately, Mary Ellen O'Connell, a professor at Notre Dame Law School, condemned the latest action by the US, saying that the country violated international law.
Use of military in foreign land permitted in specific cases
"The United Nations Charter makes absolutely clear that the use of military force on the territory of a foreign sovereign state is lawful only in response to an armed attack on the defending state for which the target state is responsible," she said.
