'Can't act with impunity': Joe Biden says US' airstrike in Syria is a warning to Iran

President Joe Biden on February 26 said that the US airstrike against an Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria should be seen by Iran as a warning. While speaking in Houston during a tour of relief efforts after the winter storm, Biden said, “You can’t act with impunity” and added, “Be careful”. On Thursday, the US military had struck a site in Syria used by two Iranian-backed militia groups in response to the rocket attacks on American forces in the same region in the past two weeks. 

Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki earlier had called the raid an “unambiguous message” that the President is “going to act to protect Americans and when threats are posed he has the right to take an action at the time and the manner of his choosing”. She added that the decision behind the strike was “deliberative” and that Biden’s aim was for “de-escalating activity in both Syria and Iraq”. Further, Psaki informed that there will be a full classified briefing early next week at the latest. 

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Retaliation for a rocket attack

Meanwhile, the Pentagon had said that Thursday’s strike was a retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a US service member and other coalition troops. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said that the action was taken in the direction of the United States President Joe Biden and strikes were “authorised in response” to the recent attacks against American & Coalition personnel in Iraq. The US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin even said that the “target was hit”.

Further, Kirby said that two F-15E “Strike Eagles” dropped seven precision-guided munitions, totally destroying nine facilities and partially destroying two facilities. He said that the location targetted near the Syria-Iraq border was known to facilitate Iranian-aligned militia group activity. Kirby added that the Pentagon had “preliminary details about casualties” but declined to release figures. 

It is worth noting that the recent strike in Syria was also the first such known action of US President Joe Biden, however, it swiftly drew criticism from a Democratic lawmaker. The site which was the US’ target was reportedly not specifically tied to the rocket attack against Americans. Austin said in a statement that he was “confident” it was used by the same Iranian-backed militias that had fired rockets at the United States and coalition forces. 

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