The United States launched strikes on five weapon storage facilities belonging to Kata’ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) on late Thursday in retaliation for a Wednesday attack in Iraq that killed two U.S. troops and a British service member, and injured 14 others.
Kata’ib Hezbollah is an Iraqi Shia paramilitary group and part of the Popular Mobilization Forces supported by Iran.
These facilities apparently housed weapons used to target U.S. and coalition troops, according to the Pentagon in a statement.
“The United States will not tolerate attacks against our people, our interests or our allies,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. “As we have demonstrated in recent months, we will take any action necessary to protect our forces in Iraq and the region.”
The Pentagon was given the authority earlier on Thursday by U.S. President Donald Trump to take action.
At the end of the day, “The U.S. and the coalition remain committed to the lasting defeat of ISIS, and the long-term security, stability and sovereignty of Iraq,” said the Pentagon in a statement.
