The United States intended to send a strong message to Iran with strikes against pro-Tehran militia groups in Syria that had targeted American troops – while seeking to avoid a dangerous regional escalation amid Israel’s war with Hamas.
By targeting an ammunition and storage area on Thursday night US time, Washington sought to make clear that recent drone and rocket attacks that caused minor injuries to 21 US soldiers in Iraq and Syria will not go unanswered.
But the action is also risky because of soaring tensions as Israel pounds Gaza after October 7 terror attacks against Israeli civilians launched by Hamas – another Iran-allied group. That conflict has provoked fears of a regional war that could draw in Iran, Lebanon and other proxy groups.
President Joe Biden’s show of strength could set off its own cycle of consequences that could rock a region already on edge. While the US is underscoring that the strikes have nothing to do with the confrontation between Israel and Hamas, such distinctions may be blurred in Arab nations, where public fury is mounting over the deaths of Palestinian civilians in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
The US actions, which were “narrowly tailored in self-defense,” targeted two facilities linked to Iranian-backed militias in eastern Syria, according to a statement from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The statement said the facilities have been used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups.
“Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not let them,” Austin said.
Biden’s political flank
Biden has been under domestic political pressure to take a stand against Iranian proxies. Realistically, there was no option but to respond to an attack in which American soldiers were injured.
Still, the limited scale…
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