U.S. airstrikes hit Iranian-linked militias in Iraq and Syria

The U.S. military on Sunday conducted airstrikes on facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region, drawing vows of retaliation from the militants and protests of a "blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty" from the country's military. The targets were facilities Iran-backed militias have used in unmanned aerial vehicle or drone attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq, according to a statement from Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby. 

"Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks," Kirby said in the statement, which identified the militant groups Kata'ib Hezbollah and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada as among those which had used the targeted facilities.

According to Kirby's statement, the U.S. strikes targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq. Video released by the Pentagon, taken from aboard the aircraft used in the strikes, showed the attacks on multiple buildings. 

A defense official told CBS News that all the targets — command and control and logistics for drones —  were hit. There were no indications of civilian casualties, the U.S. military said. 

The U.K.-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of sources on the ground in the region, said at least seven members of an Iran-backed militant group were killed in the strike in Iraqi territory. 

A U.S. official said the locations that were hit included the site from which the drones took off, recovered and were controlled. The official also said there have been "at least five" drone attacks by Iranian-backed militias against bases in Iraq where U.S. troops, contractors or other personnel are located. 

The strike was carried out by U.S. F-15s and F-16s.