Syrian regime condemns US airstrikes on Syria-Iraq border: state media

The Syrian regime condemned on Monday US airstrikes against militia targets on the border with Iraq, describing them as a "flagrant violation of the sanctity of Syrian and Iraqi lands", Syrian state media said, citing a foreign ministry statement.

"Syria renews its call on the US administration to respect the unity of the land and people of Syria and Iraq and to stop these attacks on the independence of the two countries immediately," the statement added.

This comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that the strikes on pro-Iran fighters in Iraq and Syria should send a "strong" message of deterrence not to keep attacking US forces.

"I would hope that the message sent by the strikes last night will be heard and deter future action," Blinken told reporters on a visit to Rome.

"This action in self-defence to do what's necessary to prevent further attacks sends a very important and strong message," he said.

The Pentagon announced that three military facilities used by Iran-backed militia had been hit overnight Sunday to Monday - two in Syria and one in Iraq.

It said the targets had been used by "Iran-backed militias that are engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against US personnel and facilities in Iraq".

Asked in Rome if the United States was holding Iran responsible for the attacks, Blinken said: "A number of the groups involved in recent attacks are militia that are backed by Iran."

The airstrikes on the Iraq-Syria border area were the second attacks ordered by President Joe Biden in response to strikes on US forces in Iraq.

The attacks were also condemned by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.

He called them a "blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqi national security".

(Reuters; AFP)