Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, July 6, 2021

 Thank you, Jen.  During the weekend, there was an attack targeting U.S. military base in the Deir el-Zour, in Syria.  And it’s not a Pentagon question, I promise you.

MS. PSAKI:  That’s okay.  Go ahead.

Q    Does the President believe that his strategy to counter the pro-Iran militias in Iraq and Syria is working, considering (inaudible) will authorize the Pentagon to — with the second attack that we have seen in the last few weeks?

MS. PSAKI:  Well, Nadia, we — he approved these strikes, one, with the full authority — legal authority — U.S. legal authority and international authority, because — and in a way that was proportionate and responded to threats against our entity — U.S. men and women serving and entities that were serving in these countries. 

It did not mean we expected everything to grind to a complete halt at the time, but he still felt it was the appropriate and proportionate steps.  And our objective continues to be a de-escalation of violence on the ground.