Kirby said if there were no attacks on US troops, there would be no need for retaliatory strikes.
The killing of an Iranian-backed militia leader in Iraq will likely galvanize Iran’s allies in the country to try to expel the US.
"For Iraq to continue on its path of stability and progress further, an enabling environment will prove essential. And, such an environment requires restraint from all sides,"
The Houthis continue to threaten shipping in the Red Sea and off the coast of Yemen.
The Afghans were killed because their bases in Syria tend to be simple, poorly constructed and they are used by Iran as cannon-fodder in Syria.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq - an umbrella group of several Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups - on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack.
BEHIND THE LINES: But who exactly carried out this attack? Who is targeting US forces in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan?
Kanaani said the US attacks were designed "to overshadow the Zionist regime's crimes in Gaza." He did not indicate if Iran would take any action in response.
The strikes hit targets including command and control centers, rockets, missiles, and drone storage facilities, as well as logistics and munition supply chain facilities, the US military said.
US forces were waiting for the right weather conditions to conduct the strikes, Lt.-Gen. Douglas A Sims said.