Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced last night that U.S. military forces had struck “two “facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups,” ostensibly in response to attacks against U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Syria by “Iranian-backed militia groups.” General Austin emphasized that the strikes had been carried out at President Biden’s direction, and he had directed the strike
“to make clear that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests.”
Times of Israel reported that earlier on Oct. 26, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby had told reporters that Biden had conveyed “a direct warning” to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei against any attacks on U.S. troops. Kirby declined to say how the message was delivered, but it appears two F-16s were deployed to reinforce it.
