A few weeks ago, the United States bombed facilities of an Iran-backed militia in Syria, wounding 2 fighters and killing 1. The Pentagon informed the American people about this bombing a few hours later, at which point it became known that 7 bombs were dropped. This bombing was performed in retaliation to a rocket barrage in which 14 missiles aimed at a US coalition base resulted in the wounding of a civilian contractor and United States soldier. The Pentagon also said that the United States will continue to monitor the aftermath of the bombing. This event carries significance because it is the first act of force that President Biden has used since entering office about 2 months ago. 

To many, these retaliationsp are seen as a move to pressure Iran into entering back into the Iran Nuclear Deal, which was initially set into motion over 5 years ago and has since been disregarded by both the US and Iran after the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the treaty. Despite this, Iran has made it clear that with the tensions rising between Iran and the US, no deal is likely to be met any time soon. The deal remains controversial but in brief, it was designed to keep Iran from building nuclear weapons while still enjoying the benefits of nuclear energy. Iran’s acquisition of nuclear bombs would intensify conflict and further destabilize the middle east, showing why the United States and European countries have such an interest in preventing this possibility. In light of these points, there were many pros and cons to this multifaceted bombing. As Salesians, we can be informed on this issue through exposure to unbiased news sources.