Biden: US will ‘forcefully’ protect personnel in Syria

By JOSH BOAK, BASSEM MROUE and JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — President Joe Biden says the U.S. will respond “forcefully” to protect its personnel after U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The U.S. strikes followed a suspected Iranian-linked attack Thursday that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria. “The United States does not, does not seek conflict with Iran,” Biden said in Ottawa, Canada, where he is on a state visit. But he said the U.S. is prepared “to act forcefully to protect our people. That’s exactly what happened last night.” Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.