US urgently raises troop threat levels in Iraq over possible airstrike retaliation: report

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American Military News: The threat level for U.S. troops in Iraq has been raised on Friday over concerns of retaliation over U.S. airstrikes in Syria on Thursday night.

The heightened threat level was raised by Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve and could last for several days. It was first reported by Fox News, who cited two sources familiar with the matter.

“Protection of coalition troops is the #1 priority, so taking force protection levels higher is wise and prudent,” one source told Fox News.

The heightened alert comes less than 24 hours after President Joe Biden directed airstrikes on Iran-backed militia targets in east Syria on Thursday night. The strike followed 10 days after militia groups fired off rocket attacks on U.S.-led Coalition forces in Erbil, Iraq, which left one Philippines civilian contractor dead, and six others wounded, including a U.S. service member.