U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on America bombing a target in Syria that was reportedly used by Iranian-back militias to attack American targets in Iraq.

“…we know what we hit.”

Mid-February a rocket attack on an American position in Irbil, Iraq killed one person and injured others.

• READ A SmartHER Take HERE

• A separate rocket attack days later appeared to target the U.S. embassy in Baghdad; this embassy was last targeted in December by militias believed to be backed by Iran.
• Rocket attacks in Iraq, targeting Americans, are *often* linked to Iranian forces because of their weaponry and precision.
• Since the rocket attack in Irbil, America has continued to publicly state a desire to diplomatically engage Iran in order to return to the so-called nuclear deal.
• The Pentagon says the U.S. bombing of a base in Syria reportedly used by Iranian militias makes a statement – “The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and Coalition personnel.”
• Why This Matters: The U.S. has designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism (since 1984) because of its support and funding of terrorist organizations around the world. Democrats and Republicans have said they want to keep Iran from gaining nuclear weapons, but how to achieve this goal remains a lingering question. Iran denies it will/has/is pursuing nuclear weapons.

P.S. There are only four countries listed as state sponsors of terrorism – Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Syria. 

Good background on rocket attack

Statement by Defense Dept.

(Attributable to Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby)

“At President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces earlier this evening conducted airstrikes against infrastructure utilized by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria. These strikes were authorized in response to recent attacks against American and Coalition personnel in Iraq, and to ongoing threats to those personnel. Specifically, the strikes destroyed multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups, including Kait’ib Hezbollah (KH) and Kait’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS).

This proportionate military response was conducted together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with Coalition partners. The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and Coalition personnel. At the same time, we have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to de-escalate the overall situation in both eastern Syria and Iraq.”