Don't Miss
Most Read
Trending on GB News
The US has launched retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria against Iranian-backed militants after three US soldiers were killed in Jordan last week.
The retaliatory strikes struck more than 85 targets with 145 bombs, hitting numerous sites including truck command and control operations and intelligence centers.
The strikes have targeted locations across the Middle East and are expected to last for days.
The US Central Command posted on social media: "At 4:00pm (EST) February 2, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.
Sgt William Jerome Rivers, Spc Kennedy Ladon Sanders and Spc Breonna Alexsondria Moffett all died on Sunday's strike
Reuters
"US military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States. The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions.
"The facilities that were struck included command and control operations, centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aired vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against US and Coalition forces."
Joe Biden released a statement on the retaliatory attacks: "This afternoon, at my direction, US military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack US forces.
"Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The President attended the dignified transfer ceremony of the three fallen soldiers
Reuters
The President said the US "does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world" but issued a stark warning.
"Let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond."
The US strikes came after three American troops were killed in an attack at Tower 22 near the Syrian border. Dozens of others were also injured in the strike.
It marked the first time US troops have been killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the beginning of the Gaza war.
Earlier this week, the US Department of Defence named the three soldiers who lost their lives in the attack.
Sgt William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia, Spc Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia and Spc Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia all died on Sunday's strike.
The pentagon’s deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said that the US knows that Iran was behind the attacks
GettyThe three were all supporting Operation Inherent Resolve and had been assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, Fort Moore, Georgia.
The President attended the dignified transfer ceremony of the three fallen soldiers. He watched on as their coffins were draped in American flags and carried across the tarmac.
The Pentagon’s deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said: "We know that Iran is behind it. Iran continues to arm and equip these groups to launch these attacks.
"I don’t have more to share in terms of an intelligence assessment on if leaders in Iran were directing this attack, but what I can tell you is that we know these groups are supported by Iran."
Iran has denied any involvement and said it was "not involved in the decision making of resistance groups".
Singh added that the number of people known to have been injured in the attack is now more than 40.