Syria air strike targets were Iran-backed militia

Syria said the U.S. air strikes in the east of the country were a cowardly act and urged President Joe Biden not to follow "the law of the jungle."

Kirby said the strikes destroyed multiple facilities at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups, including Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

"I think through President Biden's order he made clear the United States will act to protect American and coalition personnel and our security interests in the region," said Kirby.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision to carry out the strikes was meant to signal that, while the United States wanted to punish the militias, it did not want the situation to spiral into a bigger conflict.