The Middle East is on the brink of a wider conflict, as Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria have launched a wave of attacks on US forces in response to America's support for Israel in the Gaza war.
While the attacks have so far caused only a few dozen minor injuries, the risk of a major strike that draws the US into a direct confrontation is growing.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani to crack down on the militias operating there, but Sudani has had little luck in persuading them to let up their assault.
The Iraqi and Iranian governments have not responded to requests for comment on the militia attacks and the risk of escalation.
Biden has so far responded cautiously, ordering overnight strikes on two Iranian-linked arms storage facilities in Syria last month but not ordering any strikes in Iraq. He has also deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups to the region and taken the rare step of announcing that an Ohio-class submarine had moved there.
The US military is also taking additional steps to protect its tens of thousands of troops in the region, including beefing up security at US military bases and boosting intelligence gathering.
But critics say Biden's response has not been strong enough and that Iran will continue to target Americans until he gets serious about imposing severe costs.
The recent attacks on US troops have stirred painful memories of the massive truck bomb in Beirut that shredded a Marine barracks in 1983, killing 241 US service members.
As the US and Iran-backed militias continue to escalate tensions, the risk of a wider conflict in the Middle East is growing.
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