The United States has approved a series of strikes against Iranian-backed groups in Iraq and Syria, according to reports in the US.
US President Joe Biden has reportedly sanctioned retaliatory attacks against Iranian personnel and facilities after the deaths of three American troops following a Houthi drone strike in Jordan on Sunday.
A US official told CBS News that weather conditions will impact the timing of the 'multi-day' strikes as American forces prefer to have strong visibility of targets to safeguard against inadvertently hitting civilians.
It comes after the White House warned that its response to the attack that killed three of its soldiers will not be a “one-off”.
John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, said on Wednesday that US intelligence believed Islamic Resistance in Iraq – an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias – was behind the deadly attack.
Mr Kirby said Joe Biden “believes that it is important to respond in an appropriate way” and was continuing to consider options for retaliation. He added that “the first thing you see won’t be the last thing” and it “won’t be a one-off”.
Three US soldiers were killed and 40 injured in a drone strike at a US base in northern Jordan on Sunday.
Mr Kirby dismissed a statement by Iraqi militia Kata’ib Hezbollah – considered part of the umbrella network – that said “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government”.
Mr Kirby said that the group can’t be taken at face value, adding: “They’re not the only group that has been attacking us.”
Iran has denied any involvement in the drone attack and threatened to respond to US military action.
Maj Gen Hossein Salami, an adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s leader, said on Wednesday that Tehran hears the “threats coming from American officials” and added: “No threat will be left unanswered.”
