American Senator Calls for Retaliatory Strikes in Iran: 'Blow Up IRGC Bases'

Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from the United States, stated in an interview with Fox News that if President Joe Biden wants to protect American troops in the region, he must make it clear to the 'Ayatollah' in Iran that if they attack American soldiers through their proxy groups, 'we will come for you.' Some American politicians use the term 'Ayatollah' to refer to the leadership of the Islamic Republic. Senator Graham mentioned that for six months he has been advocating for striking Iran, adding that IRGC bases can be seen using satellite imagery and 'can be erased from the map with explosions.' He has previously called for stricter policies against the Islamic Republic. Since the retaliatory attack by Israel on Hamas and its military operations in Gaza, which was in response to Hamas's terrorist attack on southern Israel on October 7, American forces in the Middle East have been targeted dozens of times by militia groups supported by the Islamic Republic. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian claimed weeks ago, despite abundant evidence, that the Islamic Republic does not have proxy groups and suggested that the responsibility for their actions does not lie with the Islamic Republic. This week, following the death of Razi Mousavi, a senior IRGC commander in Syria, the IRGC stated that Mousavi was a 'comrade' of Qassem Soleimani and 'responsible for supporting the resistance front' in Syria. Iranian officials refer to militia groups in the Middle East that they arm and fund as the 'resistance front.' Razi was killed in an attack attributed to Israel near Damascus. Biden administration officials have previously warned about the consequences of attacks by Iranian proxy groups on American forces and have retaliated against these groups several times. However, some in the U.S. argue that these retaliatory strikes are insufficient and lack deterrence, calling for attacks on targets within Iran. Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, told American lawmakers in November that if attacks by Iranian-supported militias on American personnel continue, the United States will not hesitate in taking further actions to protect its forces. The U.S. has already attacked Iranian-supported militias in response to their attacks on American forces. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced early Tuesday, January 5, that U.S. forces conducted strikes against positions of the 'terrorist' Kata'ib Hezbollah group in Iraq at 8:45 PM on Monday. These strikes followed a drone attack that targeted the location of coalition forces led by the U.S. in Erbil, Iraq, injuring several coalition soldiers. Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House, stated that President Joe Biden was immediately informed of the attack on Sunday morning in Erbil and directed the Department of Defense to prepare options for responding to those responsible for the attack. According to CENTCOM's announcement, initial assessments indicate that the U.S. retaliatory airstrikes destroyed the targeted facilities and likely resulted in the deaths of several Kata'ib Hezbollah militants. According to Military Times, U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq have been targeted more than 100 times since mid-October when the war between Israel and Hamas began. The contradictions of the Islamic Republic regarding Razi; a 'diplomat' who was 'responsible for supporting the resistance front.' CENTCOM reported on the U.S. military's attack on the positions of Kata'ib Hezbollah militants in Iraq. The IRGC spokesperson claimed: 'Al-Aqsa Storm' was the revenge for Qassem Soleimani; Hamas denied it. The Iraqi army: Following the 'terrorist' drone attack, activities at Erbil airport were suspended. The U.S. Department of Defense: A drone launched from Iran attacked a ship in the Indian Ocean. The Wall Street Journal: Biden convinced Netanyahu to refrain from a 'preemptive strike' against Hezbollah.