The United States has admitted it did not notify the Iraqi government before its recent air strikes in the country after a top White House official claimed Baghdad had been informed in advance.

Iraq, like every country in the region, understood that there would be a response after the deaths of our soldiers. As for this specific response on Friday, there was not a pre-notification,” Patel told reporters. “We informed the Iraqis immediately after the strikes occurred.”

The clarification came after White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Friday said that Washington had informed the Iraqi government in advance.

Kirby said on Monday that he had responded to reporters’ questions with the “information that I had been provided at the time”.

“It was not as specific as it could have been, and I regret any confusion caused,” he said.