US launches strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq after drone attack

• US military carried out strikes against Iranian-backed militant groups in Iraq.
• Iraq condemned the US strikes, labeling them a “clear hostile act.”
• The US has consistently targeted sites associated with militant groups in Iraq.

The US military carried out strikes against Iranian-backed militant groups in Iraq shortly after a drone strike targeted a US airbase, resulting in injuries to US personnel. The US Secretary of Defense stated that three locations used by Kataib Hezbollah and other affiliated groups were targeted in response to recent attacks on US forces in both Iraq and Syria.

Iraq condemned the US strikes, labeling them a “clear hostile act.” Over the past few years, the US has consistently targeted sites associated with militant groups in Iraq and Syria.

Iraq reported that the US strikes resulted in one fatality and injuries to 18 individuals, including civilians. The situation reflects the ongoing tensions and actions between the US military and Iranian-backed groups in the region.

Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said the attack, which he called “necessary and proportionate”, was authorized by President Joe Biden.

A recent drone attack on a US base located in Iraq’s Kurdistan region injured three military persons. One of them is in critical condition.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a militia collective linked to Kataib Hezbollah, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Irbil airbase has faced previous rocket attacks carried out by Iranian-linked militias. Kataib Hezbollah, supported and armed by Iran, has been a prominent group involved in targeting US interests in Iraq.

The group is part of the Hashd al Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation), an umbrella organization of militias integrated into the Iraqi armed forces.

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