US Strikes Israel: As regional tensions escalated after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut that Israel claimed killed Hezbollah’s most senior commander, the United States on Tuesday conducted a strike in Iraq in self-defence, U.S. officials told Reuters.
A US defense official said American forces struck ‘combatants’ south of Baghdad who were attempting to launch attack drones, as reported by news agency AFP.
Iraqi police and medical sources said the strike inside a base south of Baghdad used by Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) claimed the lives of four members of the group that contains several Iran-aligned armed militias and left as many injured.
In a statement following the blasts, the Popular Mobilization Forces made no accusation pertaining to who was responsible for the strike. Speaking on condition of anonymity, U.S. officials said the US carried out an airstrike in Musayib, located in Babil province, but did not provide more details on the location.
The officials further stated that the strike targeted militants that the U.S. deemed were looking to launch drones and posed a threat to U.S. and coalition forces.
The officials did not comment on any casualties. “This action underscores the United States’ commitment to the safety and security of our personnel,” one of the officials said, as quoted by Reuters.
Several rockets were launched towards Iraq’s Ain al-Asad airbase housing U.S.-led forces last week, Reuters reported, citing U.S. and Iraqi sources. No casualties were reported. U.S. officials said none of the rockets hit the base.
