US military urges Iraqi government to protect its troops amid threats

On Tuesday, the US military urged the Iraqi government to enhance security measures to protect American troops in Iraq and Syria following attempted attacks on Monday by Iran-aligned militia groups.

"These attacks put coalition and Iraqi personnel at risk. We call on the government of Iraq to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of US forces in Iraq and Syria against attacks from these groups," Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder told a news briefing.

"If these attacks continue, we will not hesitate to defend our forces, as we have done in the past."