U.S. strikes have pounded targets linked to pro-Iranian paramilitary groups in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for a drone strike in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members.
The Pentagon says it is a measure of deterrence, but the pro-Iranian groups are still attacking U.S. bases. These strikes are bigger than previous ones by the U.S. in response to other attacks, and the results from at least two of them are even visible in satellite imagery.
The European Union's Sentinel satellite shows evidence of one such strike in Syria. In the "before" image, there are a series of uniform buildings. Then, in the "after" image, the area is blackened and the buildings are gone, due to the strikes.
The light from the strikes and explosion was bright enough that NASA's fire-detection satellite service picked it up on its sensors.
Scripps News verified the location of a video shared on social media showing explosions in the Iraqi city of Al-Qaim. Sentinel satellite imagery shows us evidence of where the explosions may have occurred: the border crossing between Iraq and Syria.
In imagery from the day after the strikes, there's a large, blackened area at the crossing station.
President Biden has pledged to continue the U.S.'s response at a "time and place" of their choosing. Some analysts, though, question whether the strikes will do much to stop any further attacks by Iranian-backed groups.
Malcom Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said, "Look, the Iranians are not going to simply walk away and give up in the face of this. I think the Iranians will probably lay low for a bit but then they'll strike back, probably with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and also these militia groups, and potentially they'll do it asymmetrically."
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq — an umbrella organization made up of various Iran-backed groups — has continued to publish videos and statements claiming attacks on U.S. bases in the region.
The U.S. says it'll continue hitting targets as long as there is a threat to U.S. bases in the region.
During a press briefing on Monday, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said, "If we continue to be attacked, we'll take appropriate action to protect our forces. To be clear, our goal is not to be like, 'Game on, let's do this,' full-scale war against Iranian proxy groups in Iraq and Syria."
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, meanwhile, has given no signs that it plans to stop its drone attacks against the U.S.
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