US begins launching retaliatory airstrikes on Iran-linked positions in Syria and Iraq

United States announced on Friday, February 2, 2024, targeting dozens of positions of Iran-linked militias in Syria and Iraq.

According to a statement issued by US Central Command, the bombing on Iranian militias in Syria and Iraq was a reprisal in response to an attack carried out by the militias on the Tower 22, a US outpost in Jordan, killing three US service members.

According to the statement, ” at 4 p.m. the US forces issued airstrikes in Syria and Iraq against “Al-Quds Force” belonging to IRGC and its linked militias.

The statement made it clear that the targeting included, command and control operations, intelligence centers, missiles, rockets, unmanned aerial vehicle storages.

The statement pointed out that US struck more than 85 targets with aircrafts loaded with long-range bombers flown from the United States, in addition to 125 precision munitions.

In response to the targeting, US president Joe Biden said: “the US strikes on Iran-linked positions in Syria and Iraq have done according to my instructions.”

Biden added, “Our response began today, and it will continue at times and places of our choosing, pointed out that his country does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world, according to Reuters News Agency.”

Media outlets loyal to Iran announced evening on Friday that three were killed in a preliminary toll of US airstrikes that targeted position of Iranian militias in al-Mayadeen and Al-Bukamal, eastern Deir Ezzor.

AFP quoted two Iraqi security sources as saying, “The US airstrikes targeted overnight Friday-Saturday, positions of Iranian militias in western Iraq, especially al-Qaem area near the border with Syria.”

The White House said that the United States informed Iraq before launching the airstrikes, after minutes of Iraqi army denounced the attacks which it described as “a violation of Iraqi sovereignty”.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said to the journalists: “We informed the Iraqi government about the strikes ahead of time.”

Kirby made it clear that the strikes lasted for 30 minutes and included, 3 facilities in Iraq and 4 facilities in Syria. We believe the strikes were successful and we do know the number of members who were killed or injured, according to AFP.