US retaliates with missile strikes in Iraq

The U.S. launched airstrikes Thursday against an Iran-backed militia group that hit a military base in Iraq, the Pentagon said.

On Wednesday, Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq killed two U.S. troops and one British soldier. Earlier Thursday top Pentagon officials said “all options are on the table” for a response.

“The United States will not tolerate attacks against our people, our interests, or our allies,” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said in a statement. “As we have demonstrated in recent months, we will take any action necessary to protect our forces in Iraq and the region.”

The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq on Wednesday evening announced that 18 Katyusha rockets hit Camp Taji north of Baghdad, killing three and wounding 12. 

“The death of two US service members at the hands of an Iranian-backed militia demands action,” former national security adviser John Bolton tweeted. “Iran’s continued capability to strike at our forces through regional proxies demonstrates the need for prompt retaliation, not simply relying on ‘maximum pressure.'”

The death of two US service members at the hands of an Iranian-backed militia demands action. Iran’s continued capability to strike at our forces through regional proxies demonstrates the need for prompt retaliation, not simply relying on “maximum pressure.”

— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) March 12, 2020