Pentagon said air strikes were carried out in retaliation for drone attack on US-led coalition base that killed a US contractor, injured another, and wounded five US soldiers.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin clarified that his country is committed to the alliance's "open door" policy.

The United States administration announced three contracts on Friday to sell weapons and technical services to Taiwan worth $1.1 billion in total, the US Department of State and a Pentagon agency have announced.