Biden: US Ready to Take Further Actions to Address Threats Against Bases in Middle East

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the United States is ready to take further actions to protect its military bases in the Middle East from attacks.

“The United States stands ready to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats or attacks," Biden said in a letter to US Congress leadership.

He accused groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of attacking US personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria, adding that attacks have placed under grave threat the lives of American personnel and Coalition forces.

Biden pointed out that US forces bombarded two facilities used by the IRGC and related groups on November 12.

“I directed the strikes in order to protect and defend our personnel, to degrade and disrupt the ongoing series of attacks against the United States and our partners, and to deter Iran and Iran backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further attacks on United States personnel and facilities," he said.

The number of attacks on US airbases claimed by the Shia armed groups, which operate in Iraq, has significantly grown over the past weeks. Between October 17 and November 6, militia attacked US bases in Syria and Iraq 38 times, resulting in a total of 46 troops injured, according to the Pentagon.

Earlier Tuesday, Defense Department spokesperson Sabrina Singh detailed that at least 59 US military personnel sustained not serious injuries during recent attacks on military bases in the Middle East.

"We are also tracking 59 US personnel who have received injuries in the TBI [traumatic brain injury] or non-serious categories since these attacks began," Singh said during a press briefing, explaining that 27 individuals have been evaluated for traumatic brain injury and 32 for other non-serious injuries.

"As of today, all 59 have returned to duty," Singh added.

The US military currently controls parts of the provinces of Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Al-Hasakah, where Syria's largest oil and gas fields are located. The Syrian government considers the presence of the US military on its territory as occupation and state piracy.