The US launched air strikes in Iraq on Thursday, American officials said, targeting the Iranian-backed Shiite militia members believed to be responsible for Wednesday’s rocket attack that killed and wounded American and British troops at a base north of Baghdad, The Associated Press reported.
One US official said multiple strikes targeted Kataib Hezbollah weapons facilities inside Iraq. The strikes were a partnered operation with the British, that official said.
The Pentagon later confirmed that the air strikes targeted five weapon storage facilities belonging to Kataib Hezbollah.
The facilities “include facilities that housed weapons used to target US and coalition troops", it added.
The strikes come a day after an American soldier, a British soldier and one US contractor were killed in a rocket attack on the Taji air base north of Baghdad, which hosts troops from the US-led coalition helping local forces battle jihadists.
Hours later, air strikes believed to have been carried out by the US-led coalition targeted Iran-aligned Iraqi fighters in neighboring Syria.
Thursday’s strikes came just hours after top US defense leaders threatened retaliation for the Wednesday rocket attack, making clear that they knew who did it and that the attackers would be held accountable.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters at the Pentagon earlier Thursday that President Donald Trump had given him the authority to take whatever action he deemed necessary. READ MORE