Biden says US air strike in Syria a warning to Iran

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden said a US air strike against an Iranian-backed militia in eastern Syria – the first since he took office – should be seen by Iran as a warning.

Asked what the message was from the air strike, Biden said: “You can’t act with impunity.”

“Be careful,” he added, speaking in Houston on Friday during a tour of relief efforts after a huge winter storm in Texas.

Syria and Iran on Friday condemned the attack, with Damascus calling it a “bad sign” from the new Biden administration and Teheran saying it would further destabilise the region.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said two fighter planes dropped seven precision-guided munitions on Thursday on facilities in eastern Syria used by militias believed to be behind a spate of rocket attacks on US troops in Iraq.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was sending “an unambiguous message”.

“He’s going to act to protect Americans. When threats are posed, he has the right to take action at the time and in the manner of his choosing,” Psaki said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the administration wanted to make it “very, very clear – notably to Iran – that they cannot act with impunity against our people, our partners, our interests.

“I think that message was clearly received,” he said.

Syria condemned the strike as “cowardly American aggression”.

“It is a bad sign regarding the policies of the new US administration which should adhere to international (norms),” Syria’s foreign ministry said.

The Iranian foreign ministry strongly condemned what it called “illegal attacks” that are a “clear violation of human rights and international law”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 22 fighters from Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force were killed.

It said US planes hit three trucks loaded with munitions coming from Iraq near the Syrian border town of Albu Kamal and destroyed border posts of the Hashed, an umbrella group that includes small militias with ties to Iran.

Kirby said the Pentagon had received “preliminary details” about casualties but declined to release any figures.

It was the first US military action targeting such groups since Biden took office five weeks ago and came just as Washington had opened the door to resuming negotiations with Teheran over its nuclear programme.