The attacks which will reportedly focus on 'Iranian targets' inside Syrian and Iraq are meant as retaliation and a supposed deterrent in response to the weekend drone attack which killed three American soldiers at a Jordanian base near the Syrian border. The attacks might extend to the Iranian navy as well, in addition to targeting Iranian personnel or 'Iran-backed militias' in Syria and Iraq.

While the Pentagon has said that said the Jordan base attack had the "footprints" of Kataib Hezbollah (or the Shia 'resistance' group of Iraq), no culprit has been definitively named, and US officials have also admitted they have not evidence Iran was behind it. But they are now reportedly saying the drone used in the attack was manufactured in Iran.

The New York Times additionally has conceded that despite it being well-known that Tehran arms and funds the main Shia militias in Iraq, there remains no evidence that Tehran is "calling the shots" when it comes to events like attacks on US personnel out of Syria or Iraq.

The chorus of US officials now telegraphing the extent of the strikes to the media strongly suggests at least a days-long campaign of several waves of attacks. "The first thing you see won't be the last thing," national security council spokesman John Kirby has said. He added that the operation won't be a "one-off" as such bombings have tended to go in the past.

However, the longer the bombing lasts, the greater the possibility for things spiraling out of control, possibly growing into a hot war with Iran and its assets. "The Islamic Republic would decisively respond to any attack on the county, its interests and nationals under any pretexts," Iran's ambassador to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani has responded.

According to more details via fresh CBS reporting Thursday:

U.S. officials have confirmed to CBS News that plans have been approved for a series of strikes over a number of days against targets — including Iranian personnel and facilities — inside Iraq and Syria. The strikes will come in response to drone and rocket attacks targeting U.S. forces in the region, including the drone attack on Sunday that killed three U.S. service members at the Tower 22 base inside Jordan, near the Syrian border.