Five American strikes on Iranian proxy targets in Iraq were “defensive” but meant to show Iran that the United States will not tolerate attacks on coalition forces in the region, Commander of U.S. Central Command Army Gen. Frank McKenzie said.
McKenzie told reporters Friday that the strikes on Kata’ib Hezbollah Thursday night “were designed to send a clear, unambiguous signal.”
He added: “We’ve seen in the past what happens when you don’t respond.”
The strikes by manned aircraft on storage facilities housing advanced conventional weapons were made in response to a volley of 18 Katyusha rockets fired from a truck at Camp Taji earlier in the day. The attack caused the deaths of two American servicemen and wounded 18 members from coalition forces.
Enemy and civilian casualties could not yet be reported due to inclement weather in the area.
McKenzie said the maximum pressure campaign against Iran continues, and the possibility of more attacks remains. For that reason, he revealed that he previously asked Defense Secretary Mark Esper for, and was granted, a second aircraft carrier remaining in the region.
The USS Eisenhower and USS Truman patrol the waters in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, the first time that two carriers remained in one geographic region since 2012.
McKenzie also said that U.S. intelligence is aware of “a variety of other sites” that it could strike, but the U.S. military balances Iraqi sovereignty and collateral damage with imminent threats to U.S. and coalition forces.
“We don’t look for opportunities to cause casualties,” he said. “We’ve got plenty of more places.”
The CENTCOM commander said intelligence is shared with the Iraqi government, which is then given “an opportunity” to address the threats.
When pressed for the reason why the U.S. does not strike all potentially threatening sites that it is aware of to prevent the loss of American lives, McKenzie spoke to U.S. values.
“They are often commingled with civilians,” he said, noting that U.S. strikes are conducted in accordance with the laws of combat.
McKenzie said that the rapid U.S. response was important to maintaining deterrence with Iran and its proxies.
“They have always respected our capabilities, but they have had doubts about our will,” he said of Iran, echoing words by Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley Thursday, signaling that Iran is committed to proxy attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in the region.
In the extended Pentagon briefing with journalists following a day of testimony on Capitol Hill, McKenzie also said the coronavirus has hurt Iran’s senior leadership, with deaths making strategic decision-making more difficult.
McKenzie affirmed that there has been no further escalation by Iran or its proxies.
