U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Iraqi Prime Minister Abdel Abdul Mahdi Monday that those responsible for a deadly attack on a military base last week must be held accountable.
“Discussed the deadly attacks on #Iraq’s Camp Taji military base with Prime Minister @AdilAbdAlMahdi. These actions will not be tolerated and the groups responsible must be held accountable by the Government of Iraq,” Pompeo tweeted Monday.
Discussed the deadly attacks on #Iraq’s Camp Taji military base with Prime Minister @AdilAbdAlMahdi . These actions will not be tolerated and the groups responsible must be held accountable by the Government of Iraq.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) March 16, 2020
Two American service members and a British medic were killed when Iraqi base Camp Taji came under a rocket attack last Wednesday. At least fourteen others were injured.
U.S. retaliatory strikes late Thursday and early Friday hit five weapons depots of the Iranian-backed group Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq.
Iraqi army soldiers inspect the destruction at an airport complex under construction in Karbala, Iraq, March 13, 2020. Iraq's military said five security force members and a civilian were killed early Friday in a barrage of U.S. airstrikes.
The commander who oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East warned that the threat from Iran and its proxies “remains high.”
SEE ALSO: Top US Commander: Iran Threat 'Remains High' After US Hits Back Against Iran Proxy in IraqIn a statement, the Pentagon described the strikes in Iraq as "defensive” and “proportional.”
Iraq’s Joint Operations Command called the U.S. strikes a “blatant attack” in a tweet Friday.
Cindy Saine contributed to this report.