U.S. Defense Secretary: We Act Vigilantly Against Threats from North Korea and Iran

The U.S. Defense Secretary emphasized in Congress that the Department of Defense is acting vigilantly against the recurring threats from North Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Lloyd Austin, who appeared on Thursday alongside General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate to discuss the defense budget, responded to a Republican senator regarding threats from Iran and North Korea, stating that the U.S. Department of Defense remains alert to other recurring threats, including North Korea and Iran. The Defense Secretary referred to U.S. attacks on positions of groups supported by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Syria last month, saying: 'We take all actions to defend our forces and interests abroad, and this determination is evident in the attacks we carried out last month against IRGC-related facilities in Syria.' Militias affiliated with the Islamic Republic fired several rockets at the U.S. base in eastern Deir ez-Zor in the early days of Farvardin (March-April) this year, which resulted in no casualties or damage. Following this event, the U.S. Department of Defense announced President Joe Biden's order to attack the positions of IRGC-affiliated forces in Syria. After this attack, some sources reported the deaths of at least 19 individuals affiliated with Iran and some members of the IRGC. The U.S. State Department: The provision of drones to Russia by the Islamic Republic is concerning. Ali Khamenei to the President of Iraq: One American is too many in Iraq. U.S. support for Sweden's request to join NATO. Opposition from the Republican Senate leader to the congressional proposal; we should not withdraw from Iraq and Syria. The U.S. and Israel agreed to increase cooperation to counter the 'aggressions of the Islamic Republic.'