* Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said those responsible for carrying out last week’s rocket attack against an Iraqi base that hosts American troops will be held accountable.
* “The message to those that would carry out such an attack is that expect us to do what is necessary to defend ourselves,” Austin said in an interview with ABC that aired on Sunday.
* Also on Sunday, the U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees the wars in the Middle East, flew its fourth bomber deployment to the region.
WASHINGTON – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned those responsible for carrying out last week’s rocket attack against an Iraqi base that hosts American troops will be held to account.
“The message to those that would carry out such an attack is that expect us to do what is necessary to defend ourselves,” Austin said in an interview with ABC that aired on Sunday.
“We’ll strike if that’s what we think we need to do at a time and place of our own choosing.
We demand the right to protect our troops,” he said, adding that the U.S. is still assessing intelligence with its Iraqi partners.
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More News On U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Warning Iran That We'll Strike Back "At Time & Place Of Our Own Choosing"
Pentagon chief: Response to rocket attack in Iraq will be 'thoughtful' and 'appropriate' -- The Hill
We'll Strike If We Need To: Pentagon Chief Vows to Defend US Troops in Iraq in Wake of Recent Attack -- Sputnik
