The United States bombed 85 targets in Syria and Iraq on Friday in retaliation for a recent drone strike by Iranian-backed militants on a base in Jordan that killed three U.S. troops. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson denounced the U.S. airstrikes as “another adventurous and strategic mistake by the United States that will result only in increased tension and instability.” At least 40 people reportedly died in Friday’s attacks.
On Sunday, a drone struck a base housing U.S. troops in eastern Syria. Six Kurdish fighters allied with the U.S. died in the attack.
President Biden’s National Security Council coordinator Admiral John Kirby appeared on Fox News Sunday.
John Kirby: “I’m certainly not going to talk about potential future military operations. What I would say — and this is a really important point — is what you saw on Friday night was just the first round. There will be additional response actions taken by the administration against the IRGC and these groups that they’re backing.”
The U.S. also bombed Yemen again on Saturday and Sunday, targeting sites controlled by Houthi forces who have vowed to keep targeting ships linked to Israel and the United States until Israel halts its assault on Gaza. This comes as U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken returns to the Middle East for meetings in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Israel.