CENTCOM: "Israel" endangers US troops by striking Iranian targets
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Centcom commander General Frank McKenzie said US troops are being put at risk when "Israel" strikes Iran in Syria and Iraq.
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(AFP via Getty)
General Frank McKenzie of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated in a press briefing on Friday that, while "Israel" is expected to defend itself from "threats" from Iran, Israeli strikes against Iranian assets in Syria and Iraq endanger US troops' lives.
He noted, however, that CENTCOM continues to work with "Israel" and continue its defense efforts.
"I continue to see Iran as the greatest threat to regional security and stability, he said. "They furnish weapons, support and direction to proxies across the region who engage in acts of terror and undermine local governments, all advancing Iranian interests."'
Regarding the tensions between Iran and "Israel," McKenzie expressed concern that "these exchanges between Iran and Israel because many times, our forces are at risk, whether we're in Iraq or in Syria."
Days ago, a senior Biden administration official that the building that was hit by more than 10 ballistic missiles by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in Erbil served as an Israeli training site.
Four Israeli officers were killed in the strike.
On its account, the IRGC announced targeting an Israeli "strategic center" in Erbil, stressing that Iran's security is a red line.
The CENTCOM chief claimed that "it’s obvious that Israel is going to take steps to defend itself when it’s confronted with Iranian actions. And of course, Iran is dedicated to the destruction of Israel."
When McKenzie was leading CENTCOM, "Israel" was incorporated into the organization. “CENTCOM is focused on operationalizing the Abraham Accords, as we brought Israel into our area of operations, and missile defense is one area of cooperation that all our partners understand. They all understand it’s particularly important when you consider the threat that Iranian missiles pose,” he said.
When asked multiple questions about Iran and a nuclear agreement, McKenzie replied that "the number one objective of the US with regard to Iran is that Iran not possess a nuclear weapon...The best way to get there is probably through a negotiated agreement. Now, that does not solve Iranian proxies. It doesn't solve the compelling problem of Iranian ballistic missiles, land-attack cruise missiles and small unmanned aerial vehicles, and we need to recognize that. That's a separate problem.”
“The IRGC and the elite sub-element of the IRGC, the Quds Force, you know, they're the principal malign actor in the theater, so they're very concerning to me,” McKenzie said.
When asked about the US removing the IRGC as a terror group, he expressed that he did not know what effect that may have.
He touched on sanction removal being the top demand of Iran, as well as US withdrawal from the Middle east.
