On February 2, 2024, U.S. bombers conducted retaliatory strikes on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria in response to a drone attack that killed three American service members. The strikes targeted sites associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and various Iran-backed militias. The operation aimed to deter further Iranian-backed aggression and significantly impair the operational capabilities of the IRGC and its proxies.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which claimed responsibility for the drone attack, is an umbrella organization that integrates various Iran-backed militias in the region. The network of Iran-backed militias has been responsible for over 150 attacks on bases housing U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq. The U.S. strikes targeted over 85 sites across Iraq and Syria associated with Iranian-supported groups and the IRGC.
The U.S. operation not only aimed to degrade the operational infrastructure of these groups but also to deter future attacks. The strikes targeted key assets such as command and control centers, intelligence facilities, and storage locations for rockets, missiles, and drones. The U.S. has also implemented new sanctions against IRGC officers and officials and conducted cyberattacks against Iran as part of its broader strategy to counter these groups.
The U.S. airstrikes, sanctions, and charges serve as a multifaceted strategy to deter further aggression from Iran and its proxies. The goal is to isolate Iran diplomatically and economically, weaken its regional engagement strategies, negotiation positions, and capacity to form alliances, and squeeze its support for regional proxies. However, the effectiveness of these measures in deterring Iranian-backed aggression remains uncertain, as similar actions in the past have not completely halted attacks from these groups.
Responding to Iranian-backed aggression requires a delicate balance between safeguarding U.S. interests and preventing an escalation into a wider regional conflict. Iran’s “forward defense” strategy suggests that it will continue to support proxies to reduce the influence of the U.S. and its allies in the region. The U.S. must navigate this landscape without escalating the conflict and focus on targeting the financial mechanisms that support Iranian proxies.
