The U.S. military struck three facilities near the Iraq-Syria border on Sunday evening, targeting Iranian-backed terrorists.
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the militias were using drones to attack U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq.
“Specifically, the U.S. strikes targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq, both of which lie close to the border between those countries,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “Several Iran-backed militia groups, including Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), used these facilities.”
JUST IN: Footage just released showing the US airstrike on the Iraq/Syria border. Pentagon Press Secretary described the airstrikes as “defensive,” saying they were launched in response to the attacks by militias. #2NewsAM #LiveDesk
— Jade Elliott (@JadeElliottTV) June 28, 2021
MORE: https://t.co/EQNrrRxKAl https://t.co/BloF1s5KzB
Kirby said President Biden signed off on the strikes to protect U.S. personnel and deter future attacks.
“At least one facility used by Iran’s militia forces to launch and recover drones was destroyed,” according to Fox News, citing an unnamed defense official.
“The strikes were both necessary to address the threat and appropriately limited in scope,” Kirby said in the statement. “As a matter of domestic law, the President took this action pursuant to his Article II authority to protect U.S. personnel in Iraq."
At President Biden's direction, US military forces earlier this evening conducted defensive precision airstrikes against facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region. Our full statement here. https://t.co/6tRkh6zsLU
— John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) June 28, 2021
At least one Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy, expressed “concern” after the strike.
“There is no doubt that President Biden possesses the ability to defend our forces abroad, and I continue to trust inherently the national security insticts of this White House,” he said. “My concern I s that the pace of activity directed at U.S. forces and the repeated retaliatory strikes against Iranian proxy forces are starting to look like what would qualify as a pattern of hostilities under the War Powers Act.
“Both the Constitution and the War Powers Act require the president to come to Congress for a war declaration under these circumstances,” he added.
I expect to be briefed tomorrow on the air strikes on the Iraq-Syria border. My statement tonight. pic.twitter.com/iSLBGUOAb2
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 28, 2021