US hints that major response to Iran-backed militias is imminent

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has said it is time to further disable Iran-backed militias who have struck at American forces and ships in the Middle East and Washington is preparing to take significant action in response to the deaths of three service members in Jordan.

For days the US has hinted strikes are imminent. While the threat of retaliation for Sunday’s deaths has driven some militant groups to say they were stopping hostilities, on Thursday Yemen’s Houthi rebels were still attacking vessels and fired a ballistic missile at a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea.