US and coalition forces launch massive retaliation strike on Iranian-backed militias after Americans and Brit are killed

U.S. and coalition forces have launched retaliatory strikes on Iranian-backed militias after two Americans and a Brit were killed in a rocket attack.

In response, U.S. military have launched multiple strikes using coalition warplanes targeting multiple bases used by Iranian-backed Shia militias believed to be behind yesterday's attack.

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The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not provide details on the targets being struck or name the groups being targeted.

A senior U.S. military source told "The U.S. does not want to escalate the conflict with Iran," but wanted to send a deterrent message.

The launch - authorized by President Trump - reportedly began after 1am Baghdad time and has hit multiple bases used by the Kata’eb Hezbollah.

The Pentagon earlier on Thursday squarely blamed Iran-backed militia for Wednesday's attack.

One of the officials said the U.S. response would be proportional to that of Wednesday's rocket attack.

'COWARDLY ACT'

, 26, and two U.S. servicemen died when at least 15 missiles were fired at Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, on Wednesday.

Earlier on Thursday, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the attack would "not be tolerated", while Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it was a "cowardly" act.

More than , which is used as a training site for Coalition forces.

The attack is the largest on a US base in Iraq since Iran launched ballistic missiles at bases housing US troops in January.

The attack came on what would have been the 63rd birthday of top Iranian General who was killed in a US airstrike earlier this year.

Qasam Soleimani was struck by two missiles fired from a MQ9 Reaper drone after he disembarked from an aircraft at Baghdad airport.

The regime butcher ran a network of shia militias who were responsible for thousands of deaths in the Middle East, including British and US troops.

A million people took to the streets in Iran to mourn the executed general during his funeral.

US GENERAL BLAMES HEZBOLLAH

US General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of United States Central Command, said he suspected Iranian proxy group Kataib Hezbollah was to blame because it is the "only group known" to have carried out similar attacks.

Speaking before the Senate Armed Services committee, he said: "While we are still investigating the attack, I will note that the Iranian proxy group Kataib Hezbollah is the only group known to have previously conducted an indirect fire attack of this scale against US and coalition forces in Iraq.

"While periods of decreased tension may provide the illusion of a return to normalcy, ample intelligence and indeed yesterday's actions indicate the Iranian regime's desire to continue malign activities that threaten lives, destabilise sovereign nations, threaten freedom of navigation, regional commerce, global economic supplies and the global economy itself."

The general added the coalition presence in Iraq had established a "rough deterrence" against Iran meaning they no longer carried out "attributable" missile strikes against US bases.

But he warned "proxy" attacks were likely to continue.

The Iranian proxy group Kataib Hezbollah is the only group known to have previously conducted an indirect fire attack of this scale against US and coalition forces in Iraq.

General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of United States Central Command

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