Published 12:41 IST, December 30th 2019
US military strikes Iran backed paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, Syria
US airstrikes Iran backed paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, Syria. About 25 militia fighters were killed, and another 55 wounded in the offensive.
In response to the killing of a US civilian contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base, the US military had carried out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against the Kataib Hezbollah militia group, the US officials said on December 29. At least 25 militia fighters were killed and 55 others were wounded following three US airstrikes in Iraq informed the Iraqi security and militia. There were four local Kataib Hezbollah commanders among the dead. One of the strikes had targeted the militia group's headquarters near the western Qaim district on the border with Syria, they added. The strikes were carried out by F-15 fighter jets said an official to the media.
Three locations targetted by the US
Three locations of the Iranian-backed Shi'ite Muslim militia group in Iraq and two in Syria were targeted informed Pentagon to the Press. There were weapons storage facilities and command and control locations which the group had used to plan and execute attacks on coalition forces in these sites, it said. They further warned that "additional actions" may still be taken in the region to defend US interests. Trump was briefed by his top national security advisers following the strikes at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
After briefing Trump, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the media that the US will not stand for the Islamic Republic of Iran to take actions that put American men and women in jeopardy.
Likewise, Defense Secretary Mark Esper who was joined by General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff in a club ballroom told the media that the offensive was successful. He said that he along with the Pentagon officials discussed other options about the situation with Trump. The US will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that they act in their own self-defence and deter further bad behaviour from militia groups or from Iran.
US targets Kataib Hezbollah
Shia paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah was accused by the United States for carrying out a strike involving more than 30 rockets last Friday which killed the US civilian contractor and injured four US service members and two members of the Iraqi Security Forces near the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. Just a month ago, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iranian-backed forces for a series of attacks on bases in Iraq and warned Iran that any attacks by Tehran or proxies that harmed Americans or allies would be answered with a decisive US response.
Updated 12:41 IST, December 30th 2019