Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The US launched a series of strikes against Iranian-linked forces in Iraq and Syria on Friday in response to a drone attack that killed three American soldiers. The US military reported hitting 85 targets at seven different facilities, including those associated with the elite Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force and Iranian-backed militia in the region. President Joe Biden stated that this was the first of a series of retaliatory strikes and that the US will continue to respond at “times and places of our choosing.”On Saturday, Iran criticized the attacks, labeling them a breach of international law, and Iraq condemned the strikes as well, noting that they resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals, including civilians. The air strikes marked the first time the US directly targeted the Quds Force, raising concerns that the US is becoming more entangled in a widening regional conflict following the Israel-Hamas war.US officials indicated that Friday’s strikes were just the beginning of a phased response and that additional action is planned to end these attacks. Despite Biden’s repeated statements that the US is not seeking broader conflict, he made it clear that the US will continue to retaliate if American targets are harmed. The Revolutionary Guards is Iran’s elite military force responsible for defending the regime and conducting overseas operations through its Quds Force. The US utilized long-range B1 bombers and other aircraft in the attacks. The strikes resulted in casualties and targeted various facilities including command and control centers, storage sites, and logistic hubs.Recently, the White House has shifted its approach in response to escalating attacks by Iran-backed militias in the region. In addition to the recent strikes, the US also conducted missile attacks against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen following their assault on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Iranian officials have expressed their unwillingness to engage in direct conflict with the US and Israel and maintained that the militant groups they support have been acting independently.Washington attributed the drone attack on its base to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group that reportedly includes fighters from Kataib Hizbollah and other militants, and is believed to be responsible for multiple attacks on American troops. This group is part of Iran’s Axis of Resistance, comprising Iranian-backed militants such as Hizbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen. Following the attacks, some Republicans have pressured Biden to directly target Iran, especially in light of the ongoing strikes by Houthi rebels on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Biden’s decision to conduct the airstrikes came after deliberations with his national security team to determine the appropriate response. Additional reporting was provided by Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran.
