Washington confirms readiness for military strikes in Iraq via Jordan

A US official confirmed that the US military does not rule out launching strikes on Iraqi territory even after the end of Operation Inherent Resolve. The official told the Washington Post that the United States will be capable of launching strikes on Iraq from Jordan in the event of any threat to US forces or Washington's interests. The US military had announced last Wednesday the complete withdrawal of its forces from Iraq, with the departure of the last troops from Erbil base, as part of the transition from the international coalition mission to a bilateral security relationship between Baghdad and Washington. US President Donald Trump considered that the end of the mission represents a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory against ISIS. Trump added that the United States has defined a clear mission for its forces and provided military leaders with the necessary tools to accomplish it, stressing that he refused to turn the temporary military presence into a permanent one.