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U.S. Strikes Shiite Militia Targets in Iraq and Syria
(Wall Street Journal) Michael R. Gordon - A Kataib Hezbollah official said 25 members had been killed and at least 20 wounded in the U.S. strikes along the Iraq-Syria border. The Pentagon described the action as defensive and intended to deter future attacks by Shiite groups against U.S. troops. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said, "We will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that we act in our own self-defense and we deter further bad behavior from militia groups or from Iran." Sunday's operation marked the first time the U.S. has undertaken a major military action against a Shiite militia group. Gen. Abdul Kareem Khalaf, a spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, said Defense Secretary Esper had called half an hour before the strikes to inform Abdul-Mahdi that the U.S. was about to bomb Kataib Hezbollah. Abdul-Mahdi strongly objected and demanded the U.S. call the strikes off.