US forces conduct airstrikes against facilities in Iraq, Syria - Pentagon

(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) WASHINGTON, June 28 (KUNA) -- US military forces conducted Sunday evening "defensive precision airstrikes" against facilities in the Iraq-Syria border region at President Joe Biden's direction, the Pentagon announced.Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement "the targets were selected because these facilities are utilized by Iran-backed militias that are engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against US personnel and facilities in Iraq." The US strikes specifically targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq, both of which lie close to the border between those countries, Kirby added."As demonstrated by this evening's strikes, President Biden has been clear that he will act to protect US personnel," he said."Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting US interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks," he remarked.Kirby affirmed that the US "took necessary, appropriate and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation - but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message." (end) si.bs MENAFN28062021000071011013ID1102353822