US President Donald Trump was briefed by his top national security advisers on Sunday on US airstrikes against what US officials said was an Iran-sponsored group in Iraq and Syria, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
“We will not stand for the Islamic Republic of Iran to take actions that put American men and women in jeopardy,” Pompeo told reporters after the briefing, which took place at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
Defense Secretary MaEsper said the strikes were successful and that officials discussed other options with Trump.
Strikes successful, says US Defense Secretary Esper
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said air strikes against a pro-Iran militant group in Iraq and Syria succeeded, and he did not rule out additional action “as necessary.”
“The strikes were successful,” Esper told reporters after F-15 jet fighters hit five targets associated with Kata'ib Hizbollah in Western Iraq and Eastern Syria.
Esper said that he and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had travelled to Florida, where President Donald Trump has been spending the Christmas holidays, to brief him on the latest Middle East events.
“We discussed with him other options that are available,” Esper said. “And I would note also that 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.”
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