U.S. airstrikes hit Iranian-linked militias in Iraq and Syria

The U.S. military on Sunday conducted airstrikes on facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region, drawing vows of retaliation from the militants and protests of a "blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty" from the country's military. The targets were facilities Iran-backed militias have used in unmanned aerial vehicle or drone attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq, according to a statement from Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby. 

"Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks," Kirby said in the statement, which identified the militant groups Kata'ib Hezbollah and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada as among those which had used the targeted facilities. According to Kirby's statement, the U.S. strikes targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq. Video released by the Pentagon, taken from aboard the aircraft used in the strikes, showed the attacks on multiple buildings.