President Joe Biden has warned Iran that the United States will “act forcefully” to protect Americans, after the US military carried out air strikes against Iran-backed forces in retaliation for an attack in Syria.
“Make no mistake: the United States does not … seek conflict with Iran, but be prepared for us to act forcefully to protect our people,” Biden told reporters during a visit to Canada.
Asked whether there should be a higher cost for Iran, Biden replied: “We’re not going to stop.”
Officials said a US service member was wounded in Syria on Friday in the latest tit-for-tat strike between Iran-backed forces and US personnel.
It comes after an attack on Thursday killed an American contractor and wounded five US troops and another contractor. Washington has said a drone of Iranian origin was used in that attack.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it appeared that the defensive system on the base had failed. One US official told Reuters that troops on the ground did not appear to have had enough time to react to the drone.
Although US forces stationed in Syria have been attacked with drones before, deaths are rare.
The violence could further aggravate already strained relations between Washington and Tehran, as attempts to revive a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers stalled, and with Iranian drones being used by Russia against Ukraine.
The Pentagon had said US F-15 jets on Thursday attacked two facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, said the US strikes had killed eight pro-Iranian fighters. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the toll.
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By: Miss Cherry May Timbol – Independent Reporter
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