Biden tells Congress that strikes in Syria are consistent with the US right to self-defense

President Joe Biden told Congress on Saturday that the air strikes he ordered in Syria this week were consistent with the U.S. right to self-defense, as members of his own party called for more transparency about why military action was carried out without Congressional authorization.

“The United States has taken this action in accordance with the United States’ inherent right of self-defense, as reflected in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter,” Biden said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Pro Tempore. of the Senate, Patrick Leahy.

Biden ordered air strikes on Thursday against facilities in eastern Syria that, according to the Pentagon, are used by Iranian-backed militias. The Defense Department said several facilities had been destroyed at a border control point and there were casualties, but did not provide any additional information.

These attacks came in response to a February 15 attack in which rockets hit Erbil International Airport, which houses a coalition military base in northern Iraq. The attack killed a civilian contractor in the United States-led military coalition and injured several others, including an American military.

“I directed this military action to protect and defend our people and our partners against these attacks and future attacks,” wrote Biden in his letter on Saturday.

The letter comes at a time when some Senate Democrats are opposed to Biden because of the strikes, asking him to provide a summary of why a military action was taken without Congressional approval. Under the Powers of War Resolution, presidents are required to inform Congress within 48 hours of military action. In the letter, Biden cited his constitutional authority as commander in chief.

“I directed this military action consistent with my responsibility to protect the citizens of the United States both at home and abroad and in promoting the national security of the United States and foreign policy interests, in accordance with my constitutional authority to conduct foreign affairs. of the United States and as Commander-in-Chief and Chief Executive, “wrote Biden.

The Pentagon informed Congressional leaders before the military attacks, according to a spokesman for the National Security Council. The team of mayor Nancy Pelosi was also notified prior to the strike, according to a Democratic aide.

Iran condemned the U.S. air strikes on Saturday and denied responsibility for rocket attacks on American targets. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the US attacks were “illegal and a violation of Syria’s sovereignty”, according to Iranian state media reports.

– Christian Nunley and Reuters from CNBC contributed to this report.