The White House issued a statement on Monday, revealing that Iran has been actively involved in facilitating rocket and drone attacks on U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria through Iranian-backed proxy groups. President Biden has instructed the Department of Defense to prepare for further attacks and respond appropriately.
White House spokesman John Kirby reported an increase in these attacks over the past week, particularly in the last few days. The United States remains determined not to let threats to its interests in the region go unanswered.
Kirby emphasized that these groups receive support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and the Iranian government. Furthermore, Iran continues to back militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
“We are aware that Iran closely monitors these events and, in some cases, actively supports and encourages these attacks while influencing others who may seek to exploit the conflict for their benefit or that of Iran,” Kirby stated.
The surge in attacks on U.S. forces coincides with the escalation of the conflict in Israel on October 7, triggered by an attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel.
Kirby expressed deep concern about the potential for a significant escalation of these attacks in the coming days.
In response to these developments, President Biden has dispatched naval assets to the Middle East in the past two weeks, including two aircraft carriers, additional warships, and approximately 2,000 Marines.
“We recognize that Iran aims to maintain some level of deniability, but we will not allow them to do so,” Kirby asserted. “We will also not tolerate any threats to our interests in the region going unanswered.”
