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Iranian-backed militias flout deterrence and appear to strike at Americans again (msn.com)
Iranian-backed militias flout deterrence and appear to strike at Americans again
Abraham Mahshie 2 hrs ago
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A U.S. strike on Iranian-backed militias in Syria last week failed to deter a similar attack in the early morning hours Wednesday at the largest Iraqi air base hosting American troops, the Pentagon reported.
© Provided by Washington Examiner
"We can confirm that early this morning the air base at al Asad in Iraq came under rocket attack,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement.
No service members were killed or injured, but an American contractor suffered a cardiac event during the strike and later died.
PENTAGON INSISTS SYRIA STRIKE 'VERY STRONG SIGNAL' DESPITE PINPRICK CLAIM BY MILITANTS
Preliminary reports indicate that 10 rockets were fired from a launchpad east of the base. The Defense Department has not attributed responsibility to the attack, again relying on an Iraqi investigation.
An Iraqi investigation was conducted following a Feb. 15 rocket attack against a base hosting troops in Erbil that killed one American contractor and injured several service members.
Following two more rocket attacks attributed to Iranian-backed militias, the United States fired back, destroying nine buildings on the Syrian side of the Syria-Iraq border last Thursday, leading to one fatality and two injuries.
Kirby previously described the objective of the strike was to deter future strikes. That deterrent was short-lived if Wednesday’s attack is deemed to be from the same Iranian-backed militias.
“One of the things we were certainly hoping to achieve as a result of that strike was to deter future attacks by militia groups on our people, our facilities, and our Iraqi partners,” Kirby told defense reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday.
The repeated attacks by Iranian proxies puts the Biden administration in a difficult position as it attempts to restart negotiations to rejoin the Iran nuclear agreement.
The Defense Department parted from the Trump administration by waiting 10 days to lay blame on Iran as ultimately responsible for the February attacks.
The retaliatory strike in Syria, designed to minimize any blowback to the Iraqi government, also has prompted questions about its impact to reduce the operational capacity of the militants.
Kirby told the Washington Examiner on Monday that the Thursday retaliation achieved its objectives.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“This was really designed to do two things,” he said, “to remove that compound from their utilization of it as an entry control point from Syria into Iraq, and two, to send a very strong signal that we're not going to tolerate attacks on our people and our Iraqi partners.”
The Pentagon said Wednesday that it was still assessing damage and responsibility. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was briefed, and more information is expected when Kirby addresses Pentagon journalists Wednesday afternoon.
Tags: News, National Security, Department of Defense, Pentagon, Iraq, Lloyd Austin, Syria, Iran, Iran Deal
Original Author: Abraham Mahshie
Original Location: Iranian-backed militias flout deterrence and appear to strike at Americans again
Iranian-backed militias flout deterrence and appear to strike at Americans again
Abraham Mahshie 2 hrs ago
http://a.msn.com/01/en-us/BB1ecNdu?ocid=sf
https://twitter.com/share?url=http:...er=http://a.msn.com/01/en-us/BB1ecNdu?ocid=st
https://web.whatsapp.com/send?text=http://a.msn.com/01/en-us/BB1ecNdu?ocid=sw
Former White House doctor made sexual comments, abused alcohol while on…
Pennsylvania woman allegedly confesses to killing husband, wrapping body…
A U.S. strike on Iranian-backed militias in Syria last week failed to deter a similar attack in the early morning hours Wednesday at the largest Iraqi air base hosting American troops, the Pentagon reported.
"We can confirm that early this morning the air base at al Asad in Iraq came under rocket attack,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement.
No service members were killed or injured, but an American contractor suffered a cardiac event during the strike and later died.
PENTAGON INSISTS SYRIA STRIKE 'VERY STRONG SIGNAL' DESPITE PINPRICK CLAIM BY MILITANTS
Preliminary reports indicate that 10 rockets were fired from a launchpad east of the base. The Defense Department has not attributed responsibility to the attack, again relying on an Iraqi investigation.
An Iraqi investigation was conducted following a Feb. 15 rocket attack against a base hosting troops in Erbil that killed one American contractor and injured several service members.
Following two more rocket attacks attributed to Iranian-backed militias, the United States fired back, destroying nine buildings on the Syrian side of the Syria-Iraq border last Thursday, leading to one fatality and two injuries.
Kirby previously described the objective of the strike was to deter future strikes. That deterrent was short-lived if Wednesday’s attack is deemed to be from the same Iranian-backed militias.
“One of the things we were certainly hoping to achieve as a result of that strike was to deter future attacks by militia groups on our people, our facilities, and our Iraqi partners,” Kirby told defense reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday.
The repeated attacks by Iranian proxies puts the Biden administration in a difficult position as it attempts to restart negotiations to rejoin the Iran nuclear agreement.
The Defense Department parted from the Trump administration by waiting 10 days to lay blame on Iran as ultimately responsible for the February attacks.
The retaliatory strike in Syria, designed to minimize any blowback to the Iraqi government, also has prompted questions about its impact to reduce the operational capacity of the militants.
Kirby told the Washington Examiner on Monday that the Thursday retaliation achieved its objectives.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“This was really designed to do two things,” he said, “to remove that compound from their utilization of it as an entry control point from Syria into Iraq, and two, to send a very strong signal that we're not going to tolerate attacks on our people and our Iraqi partners.”
The Pentagon said Wednesday that it was still assessing damage and responsibility. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was briefed, and more information is expected when Kirby addresses Pentagon journalists Wednesday afternoon.
Tags: News, National Security, Department of Defense, Pentagon, Iraq, Lloyd Austin, Syria, Iran, Iran Deal
Original Author: Abraham Mahshie
Original Location: Iranian-backed militias flout deterrence and appear to strike at Americans again
