February 26 The New York Times reported on the 25th that the U.S. military launched an air strike on eastern Syria on the 25th local time, targeting “facilities used by Iranian-backed militias” in response to the recent death of a foreign contractor and the injury of an American soldier.
U.S. media reported that these militias recently launched attacks on personnel of the United States and its allies in Iraq.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Biden ordered an airstrike in response to the recent attacks in Iraq and the constant threats to U.S. and coalition personnel.
In February, an airport in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil was hit by rockets, killing one civilian contractor and injuring six people in the U.S.-led military coalition, including one U.S. military serviceman and four U.S. contractors.
Syrian military sources subsequently confirmed that from late at night on February 25th to about 00:00 local time on February 26, there were many air strikes near the Abu Kamal port in the Syrian-Iraq border area in eastern Syria.
