Tonight on the 19th, the United States is striking back in response to the killing of three American soldiers by a drone on a remote US base. The military has launched air strikes on Iran backed militants in Iraq and Syria hitting targets like command and control operation centers and intelligence hubs new from ABC news tonight it comes as the bodies of those soldiers returned home with the president there paying respect us retaliatory airstrikes in Iraq and Syria tonight after Sunday's deadly drone attack on a US base in Jordan that killed three army reservists and wounded 41 others US. Central command says B one bomber strikes started this afternoon in Iraq and Syria aimed at Iranian backed militants. All this as President Biden, the first lady and top members of the military were at Dover Air Force base in Delaware today for the dignified transfer of the bodies of those reservists who were killed in that drone strike. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff General CQ Brown also witnessing the solemn return before the somber event began. The president and first lady sharing a private moment with the families of the fallen American service members before the dignified transfer. The soldiers all from Georgia, Sergeant, William Rivers, Sergeant Brianna Moffett and Sergeant Kennedy Sanders Sanders and Moffett posthumously promoted to sergeant. The three service members deaths are the first US fatalities blamed on Iran backed militia groups who for months have been ramping up their attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria since mid October earlier this week. The White House saying the Islamic resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran backed militias had planned resourced and facilitated the deadly drone attack on tower 22 in Jordan defense secretary Austin also placing blame on Iran forensic evidence, determining Iran made the drone fired by the militia group. This particular attack um was egregious and that, you know, the attack was on the sleeping area of one of of, of our base. Both the White House and the Pentagon have stressed that despite the retaliatory strikes against Iranian proxy groups, the US does not want a wider war with Iran aka Ji ABC News Washington. The president in a statement tonight said, quote, our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing the United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let all those who might seek to do us harm, know this. If you harm an American, we will respond
