Pentagon: More ground raids possible

WASHINGTON - Signaling a possible escalation of U.S. military action in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Tuesday that the United States is retooling its strategy in Iraq and Syria and would conduct unilateral ground raids if needed to target Islamic State extremists.

The U.S. has done special operations raids in Syria and participated in a ground operation to rescue hostages last week in northern Iraq that resulted in the first U.S. combat death in Iraq since 2011. Carter did not say under what circumstances the U.S. might conduct more ground action, but said, "Once we locate them, no target is beyond our reach."

"We won't hold back from supporting capable partners in opportunistic attacks against ISIL, or conducting such missions directly, whether by strikes from the air or direct action on the ground," Carter said, using an acronym for the militant group.

Carter and Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Republicans harshly criticized the Obama administration's strategy in Syria and Iraq, where ISIS has captured large swaths of territory and have largely fought the U.S.-led coalition to a stalemate.

With little recent progress in defeating the militant group, the defense secretary's testimony outlined a changing U.S. approach to the fight against the Islamic State. The changes point toward the prospect of deeper U.S. military involvement, although President Obama has said he would not authorize a major commitment of ground combat forces.

At the same time, Iran will be invited to take part in a multinational conference seeking a resolution to the civil war in Syria, in what would be the first instance of Tehran and Washington working together since the Iran nuclear deal was clinched.

State Department spokesman John Kirby would not tell reporters which country would issue the invitation to the meeting Friday in Vienna, but it is likely to be Russia. Iran's supreme leader said this month that future negotiation with the United States is "forbidden," despite the nuclear agreement, and it is not clear whether Tehran will attend.

Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the meeting among countries that border Syria, are involved militarily in the conflict or are coping with an influx of Syrian refugees.

The talks will draw together diplomats from a dozen countries that have striking differences on potential solutions for the Syrian war - and whose relations with Iran range from warm to outright gelid.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, for instance, have long been regional rivals, and the countries have been lobbing bitter accusations at each other since more than 400 Iranian pilgrims died in a stampede last month in Mina outside of Mecca during the hajj.

Russia and Iran are the two biggest backers of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and both have launched military interventions in the country in support of his rule.