Iran criticized the U.S. airstrikes on Iran-backed militant resources and facilities in Iraq and Syria and cautioned that they could lead to a significant escalation. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a statement on Saturday that the attack would only result in heightened tensions and instability in the region. He also described it as a “strategic mistake” by the Biden administration. Moreover, Kanaani emphasized that the attack violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria.Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces reported 16 members killed in Iraq and 23 killed in Syria as a result of the strikes. Additionally, civilians were also reported to have been killed in the attacks. Despite the Biden administration claiming it had informed Baghdad prior to the strikes, Iraqi government spokesman Basem Al-Awadi dismissed this as “an unfounded claim crafted to mislead international public opinion.” The Iraqi government warned that the attack would escalate the security situation in Iraq and the region, with Iraq’s Foreign Ministry summoning the U.S. chargé d’affaires to protest the strikes.The response from the Iranian and Iraqi governments underscores the delicate balance that the United States must maintain to avoid further escalation after targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The White House stated that the strikes were conducted in response to an Iran-backed attack on a U.S. outpost in Jordan, which resulted in the deaths of three American troops. The White House also indicated that these strikes are expected to be the first in a series of responses. John Kirby, White House National Security Council coordinator, stated that further action will be taken to put an end to the attacks and to diminish the capabilities of the IRGC. The targets were chosen based on their believed connection to attacks on U.S. personnel, according to the White House.Following months of Iranian-backed militants conducting numerous attacks on U.S. forces in the region, the Biden administration killed a leader of an Iran-backed militant group last month and targeted facilities associated with Kataib Hezbollah. However, the recent strikes mark a significant escalation in response. The response of the Iranian and Iraqi governments, as well as the reported civilian casualties, may impact the administration’s next steps. The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the Pentagon declined to comment.U.S. officials emphasized that the Biden administration is not seeking a broader conflict with Iran. They clarified that the primary goal is to stop these attacks and that they are not aiming for a war with Iran. Furthermore, the White House previously stated that the targets were carefully selected to avoid civilian casualties and were based on evidence linking them to attacks on U.S. personnel. While acknowledging that the Department of Defense was still assessing the damage, they indicated that the strikes hit precisely what they intended to target. The military conducted over 85 strikes using more than 125 precision-guided munitions, hitting seven different facilities overall.
