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(CNN) President Joe Biden on Saturday informed Congress of his decision to authorize airstrikes in Syria this week against what the US said were Iran-linked facilities.
The US air strikes came after Iranian drones attacked facilities housing US personnel in the country, killing a US contractor and wounding five US service members.
In a letter to Congress, Biden said the strike was “made to safeguard and defend our personnel, to defuse and disrupt the ongoing series of attacks against the United States and our partners, and to deter the Islamic Republic.” He said. Iran and Iran supported militia groups conducting or supporting further attacks on U.S. personnel and installations. ”
The US strikes were “conducted in a manner intended to establish deterrence, limit the risk of escalation, and avoid civilian casualties,” the president added.
Saturday’s notice is a regular part of the War Powers Act, which requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of military action. The letter was sent to both House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Speaker pro tempore Senator Patty Murray.
Tehran isn’t always involved in directing the attacks they carry out, but attacks could increase tensions with Iran, with whom the proxy group is affiliated.
The US has already sanctioned Tehran for providing attack drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. And on Thursday, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, reiterated US concerns that Iran could produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon within two weeks, and one within months. rice field.
brig. Pentagon spokesman Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters on Friday that he stressed that the United States is not seeking conflict with Iran, but that the airstrikes “couldn’t be more effective if we took the protection of personnel seriously and they If you are threatened, please respond quickly and decisively.”
CNN’s Michael Calllahan, Oren Liebermann, Natasha Bertrand, and Haley Britzky contributed to this report.
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