(NewsNation) — The U.S. launched airstrikes Friday against Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria in response to a drone strike that killed three U.S. troops and injured more than 40 others in Jordan.
Rep. Richard McCormick, R-Ga., is doubtful about the impact the retaliatory assault will have, saying it was “absolutely not” sufficient to deter Iran from continuing to provoke tensions in the region.
“Iran didn’t suffer directly. Let’s face it, they’re the ones producing these weapons, they’re distributing these weapons, they’re encouraging them to be used against U.S. troops and our allies all over the world,” McCormick said Friday on “CUOMO” after the announcement of the strikes.
The U.S. struck more than 85 targets across Syria and Iraq, including command and control headquarters, intelligence centers, rockets and missiles, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities that were connected to militias or the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.
The strikes are a response to a drone attack on a U.S. military outpost in Jordan that killed three troops last week. President Joe Biden and other top U.S. leaders had been warning for days that America would strike back at the militias, and they made it clear it wouldn’t be just one hit but a “tiered response” over time.
“Everything should be on the table,” McCormick said of potential future strikes.
McCormick’s comments echo those of many of his Republican colleagues who said the strikes didn’t come soon enough and that Biden telegraphed his intentions to Iran and its proxies. The president said last week the United States would respond at a time and place of its choosing.
Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard Newton believes an extended aerial and special combat operations campaign is needed to go after Iranian-backed proxies.
“But the culprit here here are not the proxies — the culprit is Iran,” Newton said on “CUOMO.” “Bottom line here, it’s a start. I’m looking for a sustained campaign over the next several days, if not a couple weeks moving forward.”
The U.S. strikes appeared to stop short of directly targeting Iran or senior leaders of the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force within its borders, as the U.S. tries to prevent the conflict from escalating even further. Iran has denied it was behind the Jordan attack.
It was unclear what impact the strikes will have. Days of U.S. warnings may have sent militia members scattering into hiding. With multiple groups operating at various locations in several countries, a knockout blow is unlikely.
Though one of the main Iran-backed militias, Kataib Hezbollah, said it was suspending attacks on American troops, others have vowed to continue fighting, casting themselves as champions of the Palestinian cause while the war in Gaza shows no sign of ending.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told NewsNation the retaliatory strikes were an “appropriate” response to the Jordan drone strike.
“Nations around the world need to know that if you harm American soldiers, we will strike back,” he said. “My hope is this just the beginning of an extended campaign.”
He also called on the United States to take a more forceful approach to counter assaults on the Houthi rebels in Yemen who have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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