No matter what anyone says, Türkiye will retaliate when it sees a terrorist organization that threatens national security, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik said Thursday.

Referring to different statements that came from the Pentagon and the White House regarding Operation Claw-Sword, Çelik said: "Of course, the White House statement is a more accurate statement. Türkiye has the right to defend itself and the right to fight terrorism, but the Pentagon statement states that our military operations in the fight against terrorism are putting them in danger, which is out of the question."

"The operations are point operations against the so-called headquarters of the terrorist organization. Second, if there is such a situation, what are you doing in a place so close to these terrorist organizations? Moreover, why are you watching this while these terrorist organizations are attacking your ally, Türkiye?" he questioned.

The Pentagon expressed concern Wednesday about Türkiye's airstrikes in northern Syria, saying they posed a threat to U.S. personnel and harmed the fight against the Daesh terrorist group.

"Recent airstrikes in Syria directly threatened the safety of U.S. personnel who are working in Syria with local partners to defeat ISIS and maintain custody of more than ten thousand ISIS detainees," said spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder in a statement by using an alternative acronym for Daesh.

Ryder said the U.S. recognizes Türkiye's legitimate security concerns and added "we will continue to discuss with Türkiye and our local partners maintaining cease-fire arrangements."

Early Sunday, Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Sword, a cross-border aerial campaign against the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian wing, the YPG, which have illegal hideouts across the Iraqi and Syrian borders where they plan attacks on Turkish soil.

The country's air operation followed a PKK/YPG terrorist attack on Nov. 13 on Istanbul's crowded Istiklal Street that killed six people and left 81 injured.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar earlier said that over 250 terrorists have been killed in the Turkish airstrikes.

Ryder said the Pentagon is "deeply concerned by escalating actions in northern Syria, Iraq, and Türkiye," adding that the escalation "threatens the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS's years-long progress to degrade and defeat ISIS."

He also said that "uncoordinated military actions" threatened Iraq's sovereignty.

"Immediate de-escalation is necessary in order to maintain focus on the defeat-ISIS mission and ensure the safety and security of personnel on the ground committed to the defeat-ISIS mission," Ryder added.

"We condemn the loss of civilian life that has occurred in both Türkiye and Syria as a result of these actions and offer our condolences. We are also concerned about reports of the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure," he noted.

Meanwhile, the White House on Tuesday said that Türkiye is facing a terror threat on its southern border and has the right to defend itself.

"Turkey does continue to suffer a legitimate terrorist threat, particularly to their south. They certainly have every right to defend themselves and their citizens," National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, John Kirby, told reporters.

He said the U.S. has concerns about cross-border operations, which he said would affect the fight against the Daesh terror group carried out by another terror organization, PKK/YPG.

The operations "might force a reaction by some of our SDF partners, that would ... constrain their ability to continue the fight against ISIS," Kirby added.

"We know the identity, location, and track record of the terrorists. We also know very well who patronizes, arms, and encourages terrorists," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in northeastern Artvin province, implying the U.S. support for the YPG.

Türkiye has done its part by respecting every agreement on the security of its border with Syria, the president said.

"Hopefully we will root all the terrorists out as soon as possible," Erdoğan added.

The U.S. primarily partnered with PKK/YPG terrorists in northeastern Syria in its fight against the Daesh terrorist group. On the other hand, Türkiye strongly opposed the PKK/YPG's presence in northern Syria.

The PKK is a designated terrorist organization in the U.S., Türkiye, and the European Union, and Washington's support for its Syrian affiliate has been a major strain on bilateral relations with Ankara. The PKK/YPG has controlled much of northeastern Syria after the forces of Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad withdrew in 2012.

Under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the U.S. has provided military training and given truckloads of military support to the PKK/YPG, despite its NATO ally's security concerns. Underlining that one cannot support one terrorist group to defeat another, Türkiye conducted its counterterrorism operations, throughout which it has managed to remove a significant number of terrorists from the region.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).