February 2024 United States airstrikes in Iraq and Syria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by David O. Johnson (talk | contribs) at 08:07, 3 February 2024 (Removed Jordan from infobox per Talk page discussion). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

February 2024 United States bombing of Iraq and Syria
Part of the attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, Jordan, and Syria (2023–present) and spillover of the Israel–Hamas war
Date2 February 2024 – present
(3 months, 2 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Iraq and Syria
Status
  • US conducts more than 125 missile strikes targeting Iran-backed militias
Belligerents
 United States  Iran
Popular Mobilization Forces
Islamic Resistance in Iraq
Commanders and leaders
Joe Biden
Lloyd Austin
Charles Q. Brown Jr.		 Ali Khamenei
Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
Esmail Qaani
Falih Al-Fayyadh
Qais Khazali
Akram al-Kaabi
Units involved

 United States Armed Forces

Specific units:

Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces

Liwa al-Tafuf[2]
Kata'ib Hezbollah[3]
Casualties and losses
None

21+ killed[a]

85 targets destroyed (US estimate)

On 2 February 2024, the United States Air Force launched a series of airstrikes targeting Iran-backed militant groups in Iraq and Syria. The attack was launched in retaliation to a drone strike carried out by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeting US troops in Jordan the week before which killed three U.S. troops.

US Department of the Treasury sanctioned several people with IRGC as well.[6]

Background

Main article: Attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, Jordan, and Syria (2023–present)

Since the onset of the Israel–Hamas war on 7 October 2023, militia groups supported by Iran have executed more than 170 attacks on US bases in Iraq, Jordan and Syria.[7] These attacks have resulted in injuries to dozens of troops. On 28 January 2024, a Shahed 136[verification needed] drone strike carried out by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted Tower 22, a US base in Jordan, resulting in the deaths of three US troops and causing injuries to 47 others.[8]

Bombing

Around midnight between 2 and 3 February local time (UTC+3), the United States Air Force carried out airstrikes targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups in Iraq and Syria. The operation involved two B-1B bombers deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.[9][10] The targeted facilities included command and control operations centers, intelligence centers, rockets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicle storage, as well as logistics and munition supply chain facilities belonging to militia groups.[1] American officials reported that the strikes hit 85 targets across seven facilities, three in Iraq and four in Syria, using 125 precision-guided missiles.[9]

Iraqi security reported that six airstrikes targeted a number of locations in Iraq, while Syrian state media announced that "American aggression" has struck a number of sites in Syria's desert areas and the Iraq–Syria border.[11] Iraqi officials reported that airstrikes targeted the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces in the town of Akashat, killing three fighters.[2][5] Iraqi officials also said that three houses used by the Kata'ib Hezbollah in Anbar Province were hit by airstrikes.[3]

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 18 Iran-backed militants were killed in the airstrikes in Syria.[4]

Retaliation

Before the attack, the IRGC had threatened that any US military attack on the Islamic Republic would be met with a response.[12]

Criticism

There were much criticism that the attacks were too late and or pre announced. IRGC QF had gotten out of Syria.[13][14]

Reactions

United States

President Joe Biden wrote in a statement that their response to the drone attack in Jordan launched by militant groups backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps," had "began today" and would "continue at times and places of our choosing."[15]

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin referred to the strikes as "the start of our response" and that Biden had "directed additional actions to hold the IRGC and affiliated militias accountable for their attacks on U.S. and Coalition Forces."[16]

Iran-backed militias

The leader of the Iraqi Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada militia group called on Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia not to allow the United States to use their territory to launch attacks, saying that militias would target the source of the attacks.[17]

Notes

  1. ^ 18 in Syria[4] and three in Iraq[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "CENTCOM Statement on U.S. Strikes in Iraq and Syria". CENTCOM. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b "America launches retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria in response to the Jordanian attack" (in Arabic). Sky News Arabia. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b Arkin, Daniel (2 February 2024). "U.S. strike in Iraq targeted weapons warehouse, sites used by Iran-linked militia". NBC News. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b "In the first hours of the American strikes, 18 soldiers were killed and 26 targets were destroyed in strikes at a distance of about 130 kilometers in Deir ez-Zor Governorate" (in Arabic). Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b "The US attack on the headquarters of resistance groups in Iraq left three dead and 11 wounded" (in Persian). IRNA. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  6. ^ https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20240202
  7. ^ Carl, Nicholas; Jhaveri, Ashka; Braverman, Alexandra (28 January 2024). "Iran Update, January 28, 2024" (Think tank analysis). Washington, D.C.: Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 29 January 2024. These militias have conducted over 170 attacks targeting US positions as part of this effort since October 2023.
  8. ^ Horton, Alex; Ryan, Missy; Warrick, Joby; Lamothe, Dan (29 January 2024). "U.S. mixed up enemy, friendly drones in attack that killed 3 troops". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  9. ^ a b Schmitt, Eric; Cooper, Helen (2 February 2024). "Here's the latest on the U.S. strikes". The New York Times.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "B-1 bombers were used in US airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, official says". CNN. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  11. ^ "US launches strikes in response to attack that killed troops in Jordan". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  12. ^ "No U.S. threat to Iran will go unanswered, Tehran says". Reuters. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  13. ^ Rothman, Noah (1 February 2024). "They'll Never See It Coming". National Review.
  14. ^ "Iranian Guards adviser killed in Israeli strike on Damascus - Iranian news sites". Reuters. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  15. ^ House, The White (2 February 2024). "Statement from President Joe Biden on U.S. Military Operation in the Middle East". The White House. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on U.S. Strikes in Iraq and Syria". United States Department of Defense. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  17. ^ "We can respond to the sources of fire In conjunction with the strikes, Al-Walaei warns Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia" (in Arabic). +964. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=February_2024_United_States_airstrikes_in_Iraq_and_Syria&oldid=1202676857"