Psaki Defends 'Necessary' U.S. Airstrikes on Iran-Backed Militia
Published Date: 6/28/2021
Source: Bloomberg Quicktake: Now
The White House says the airstrikes carried out by the U.S. military against what it said were facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups near the border between Iraq and Syria, were "necessary, appropriate and deliberate" measures taken to "defend U.S. personnel, partners and allies in the region." Speaking at the White House briefing Monday, press secretary Jen Psaki said the strikes were defensive in nature, "designed to limit the risk of escalation." Psaki said the White House notified a number of members of Congress prior to taking action and is also "in close touch with partners in the region," but she declined to provide any more information about the conversations. Iraq's prime minister condemned the overnight attack, calling it an "unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty." Psaki responded by calling Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi "a partner," insisting the White House agrees with his calls for de-escalation. "The attacks against our troops need to stop. And that is why the president ordered the operation last night in self-defense of our personnel," she said. Psaki also previewed President Joe Biden's meeting wtih Israeli President Reuven Rivlin Monday afternoon, saying, "the visit will highlight the strength of the relationship, affirm our shared interest in security and stability in the region, in the region, and provide an excellent opportunity for high level consultations on key issues." She said Biden looks forward to hosting Israel's new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, "soon," but said she didn't yet have a confirmed date for the meeting. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2TwO8Gm Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world. To watch complete coverage on Bloomberg Quicktake 24/7, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/qt/live, or watch on Apple TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Fire TV and Android TV on the Bloomberg app. Have a story to tell? Fill out this survey for a chance to have it featured on Bloomberg Quicktake: https://cor.us/surveys/27AF30 Connect with us on… YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Bloomberg Breaking News on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BloombergQuickTakeNews Twitter: https://twitter.com/quicktake Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quicktake Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quicktake