Syria condemns 'cowardly' U.S. air strikes

PENTAGON CHIEF SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRBY: "The United States will act to protect American and coalition personnel and our security interests in the region."

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Friday that the U.S. air strike carried out in Syria totally destroyed nine facilities used by Iranian-backed militias in the country, in Joe Biden's first known military action as president.

KIRBY: "When we referred to the justification for the strikes, we talked about recent attacks. So I'd leave it at that."

Western officials and some Iraqi officials accuse Iranian-backed groups of involvement in deadly rocket attacks on U.S. sites and personnel in Iraq over the last month.

Kirby said Iraq was able to help the U.S. determine who was responsible for the recent attacks in Iraq, but that Baghdad did not assist in the targeting process in Syria.

KIRBY: "I can tell you that the president himself authorized this yesterday morning."

Syria said the air strikes were a cowardly act and urged Biden not to follow "the law of the jungle." An Iraqi militia official close to Iran said the strikes killed one fighter and wounded four. U.S. officials said they were limited in scope to show Biden's administration will act firmly while trying to avoid a big regional escalation.

Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers from both political parties welcomed the strikes but a number of Democrats questioned the legal justification under which they were carried out and the continuation of military operations in the Middle East.