Illustrative photo from ABC

Three locations used by the Kataib Hezbollah and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada militant groups were hit, according to the Pentagon.

"The US took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

With this action, President Joe Biden has made it clear that he will take action to protect US service members, according to Kirby, who said Biden wants to deter attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting US interests in Iraq.

There are no estimates of damage from the air strikes and President Biden has not yet commented on the action.