ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States Department of Defense on Tuesday told Rudaw that it will not hesitate to take action to ensure the safety of its forces if they are threatened in Iraq and Syria, in light of the ongoing attacks against American personnel by Iran-backed militias in the two countries.
US interests in Iraq and Syria have come under a series of rocket, drone, and missile attacks over the past two months by Iran-aligned militia groups condemning American support for Israel in its war against Hamas. Washington has repeatedly condemned the strikes, called on Baghdad to put a stop to them, and stated that it reserves the right to self-defense.
“We do very much appreciate the Iraqi Security Forces and the assistance that they have provided when it comes to addressing these threats… But at the end of the day, if our forces are threatened, we will not hesitate to take action to ensure that they remain safe,” Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder told Rudaw during a presser.
The spokesperson said that the attacks are encouraged by Iran to achieve its goal of expelling US troops in Iraq and Syria, but reiterated that American forces are in Iraq upon the invitation of the government and will continue on their mission to achieve the enduring defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS).
In a call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the recent attacks against American interests in Iraq and welcomed Sudani’s denunciation and Baghdad’s pledge to investigate and hold the perpetrators accountable.
“The Secretary noted that the attacks are being carried out by militias who are acting with the support of Iran and undermining Iraq’s sovereignty and independence,” read a statement from the US State Department.
There have been at least 92 attacks targeting US interests in Iraq and Syria since October 17, according to Ryder who stressed that the strikes “have largely been unsuccessful.” The Pentagon said last week that at least 66 US personnel have received “non-serious” injuries as a result of the attacks.
A series of rockets targeted the US embassy in Baghdad in the early hours of Friday. Shortly after, Sudani issued a directive to pursue the perpetrators of the attack and reiterated Baghdad’s commitment to protecting diplomatic missions in the country, but warned Washington against taking any direct response to the attacks without its approval.
Around 2,500 American troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria are leading an international coalition through Operation Inherent Resolve that has assisted Kurdish, Iraqi, and local Syrian forces in the fight against ISIS which once held swathes of land in Iraq and Syria but was declared territorially defeated in 2019.
