Washington: Top US national security officials agreed on Wednesday, local time, on a proposed range of options to present to President Donald Trump aimed at deterring any attack on US military or diplomatic personnel in Iraq, a senior administration official told Reuters.
The meeting was spurred by an attack on Sunday in which rockets landed in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone compound targeting the US embassy and causing some minor damage, the Iraqi military and the embassy said.
The so-called principals committee group, including acting Defence Secretary Chris Miller, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser Robert O’Brien met at the White House, said the official, who requested anonymity.
A “range of options” would be presented soon to Trump, said the official, who would not describe the content of the options or say whether they included military action.
“Each one is designed to be non-escalatory and to deter further attack,” the official said.
After the meeting, Trump, without giving evidence, said on Twitter that the rockets on Sunday were from Iran and “we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq.”
“Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over,” Trump said.
The Iraqi military blamed Sunday’s attack on an “outlaw group.”
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