The US military struck two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday.
Joe Biden strikes Syrian sites – What impact on Iraq and Iran nuclear deal? Updated Mar 01, 2021 | 09:56 IST
The compound the US bombed was very close to the border of Iraq, southwest of Erbil, but arguably could be seen as an offensive act against a state that did not cause the original harm. File image | Photo Credit: AP
In its sixth week in office, the Biden administration has already used military force in the Middle East. Seven bombs were dropped on a group of buildings in Syria associated with pro-Iran Shia militias, allegedly responsible for a recent attack on a US and coalition base outside Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. The attack has been characterised as carefully calibrated; the US President chose one of the less aggressive options presented to him, with the goal of keeping the damage inflicted proportional to the attacks that triggered the action.