US airstrikes were carried out late Sunday on three targets in Syria and Iraq.
The Pentagon claimed the targeted sites were “weapons storage and operational facilities” used by Iranian-backed militias.
“As demonstrated by this evening’s strikes, President Biden has been clear that he will act to protect US personnel,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said.
“Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting the US interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks.”
The airstrikes were “both necessary to address the threat and appropriately limited in scope,” he added.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least seven fighters were killed and several others wounded.
Syria’s state-run SANA news agency also affirmed one child had been killed and at least three other people were wounded.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi has strongly condemned the overnight airstrikes.
“We condemn the US air attack that targeted a site last night on the Iraqi-Syrian border, which represents a blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqi national security,” said a statement from the Iraqi PM’s office.
Iraq’s military also condemned the strikes as a “blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and national security.”
It called for avoiding escalation and rejected that Iraq is an “arena for settling accounts” about the US and Iran.
For its turn, Iran’s foreign ministry accused the US of creating instability in the region.
“Definitely, what the US is doing is disrupting the security of the region,” the ministry said on Monday.
Last week, the US House of Representatives voted to repeal the law that authorised former President George W Bush to invade Iraq.
The 268-161 vote was described as a historic step that will help end America’s “forever wars”.