SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Pentagon is seeking approval from U.S. President Joe Biden on strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, the Daily Caller cited sources as saying.
“The administration is looking hard at a broad range of responses to Shiite militia aggression against Americans in Iraq,” the Daily Caller cited a source with knowledge of the matter as saying on Friday.
The Pentagon’s plan comes as armed groups have increased rocket and drone attacks against bases hosting U.S. and Coalition troops in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.
U.S. officials blame Iran-backed militias for regular rocket attacks on U.S. facilities in Iraq, including near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
The Daily Caller cited another source as saying that the operations plan and various options would be discussed with the White House through the National Security Council.
Officials from the Pentagon would seek Biden’s approval for the strike orders some time soon, the news and opinion website based in Washington, D.C. reported.
Iraq’s Ain al-Asad air base suffered from a rocket attack last week, but caused no casualties. The air base was also attacked by an unmanned aerial surveillance system on May 8.
In April, a drone targeted the U.S.-led Coalition forces in a base at Erbil airport, causing a large fire and damage to a building.
Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of the U.S. Central Command, said last week that the United States must find more ways to counter the use of explosives-laden drones by American’s enemies in the Middle East and elsewhere.
“We’re working very hard to find technical fixes that would allow us to be more effective against drones,” AP quoted the U.S. commander as saying.
