Iran’s proxy attacks in the Middle East
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 5 February 2024
⏱️ 28 minutes
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Summary
After a drone attack killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan last week, the United States struck more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria on Friday. The U.S. response is the latest escalation in a widening conflict in the Middle East.
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Several Iran-allied groups aligned with Hamas have mobilized since the militant organization’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel prompted an ongoing Israeli military offensive. According to Pentagon data, Iranian-backed militias have launched at least 165 attacks on U.S. forces since October – including a drone attack that killed three U.S. service members.
Intelligence and national security correspondent Shane Harris explains what led to the U.S. airstrikes on Friday and what the consequences could be.
Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Lucy Perkins. Thanks also to Bishop Sand and Maggie Penman.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Conflict in the Middle East is escalating. |
| 0:05.0 | Just over a week ago, three U.S. soldiers were killed in Jordan. |
| 0:10.0 | On Friday, the U.S. retaliated. |
| 0:12.0 | A series of airstrikes targeted groups that the U.S. believes |
| 0:15.9 | were responsible for those deaths. White House spokesman John Kirby addressed the attacks |
| 0:20.9 | on Friday evening. |
| 0:21.9 | U.S. military forces struck more than 85 percent. address the attacks on Friday evening. |
| 0:22.6 | U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets |
| 0:25.7 | at seven facilities utilized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard |
| 0:29.9 | Corps and the militant groups that they sponsor. |
| 0:33.0 | Three of the facilities are in Iraq. |
| 0:35.0 | Four of them are in Syria. |
| 0:37.0 | U.S. officials believe that the American soldiers in Jordan |
| 0:41.0 | were killed by strikes from groups in Iraq and Syria that are backed by Iran and are |
| 0:45.8 | aligned with Hamas. And if that sentence is confusing to you, you are not alone. It is really hard to understand how these conflicts all fit |
| 0:55.8 | together. And I think what's important to remember is this has already |
| 0:59.2 | escalated. Like we are in the escalation right now. |
| 1:02.8 | Shane Harris is the intelligence and national security correspondent for the post. |
| 1:07.2 | And we called him to help us understand what led up to the US decision to carry out these strikes and what the consequences could be. |
| 1:20.0 | And I think they're significant as well because they followed the first fatalities of US service |
| 1:26.8 | personnel in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October. |
| 1:33.2 | So what we're seeing here is an escalation |
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