US ‘carries out drone strike’ on base of Iranian-backed militia group in Iraq
The US has reportedly carried out a drone strike on the base of an Iranian-backed militia in central Baghdad, killing a militia leader it blames for recent attacks on American personnel.
The airstrike targeted the group Harakat al Nujaba – an Iraqi militia allied with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon – killing one of its leaders and one of his aides, according to a US official speaking to the Reuters news agency.
Police and security sources in Iraq told the AP news agency the strike was carried out with a drone which fired two rockets at a building, used by a militia group, killing a total of four and wounding six others.
Officials with the US military and embassy in Baghdad did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
However one American official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to Reuters the strike was carried out by the US.
Iraq’s prime minister described the attack as a dangerous escalation and a violation of his country’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Iraq’s foreign ministry said: “Iraq reserves its right to take a firm stance and take all measures that deter anyone who tries to harm its land and security forces.”
Abu Aqeel al Moussawi, a local Iraqi militia commander, vowed “retaliation”, adding: “We will make the Americans regret
carrying out this aggression.”
It comes a day after 95 people were killed in two explosions in Iran near the tomb of former high-ranking general, Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a US airstrike in 2020.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place as people gathered at his tomb to mark the fourth anniversary of his death.
Iranian state media reported on Thursday that investigators believed it was carried out by “suicide bombers”, though it did not specify who it thought was responsible.
On Wednesday, Washington said the blasts appeared to be the type of “terrorist attack” carried out by Islamic State – and added it had no reason to believe Israel was behind the attack.
It also comes after Hamas’s deputy leader Saleh al Arouri died in an explosion in Beirut on Tuesday. Hamas blamed Israel for the attack, though Israel has not confirmed if it was involved.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on 7 October, a group of Iranian-backed militias have carried out more than 100 attacks on bases housing US troops in Iraq and Syria.
They have said the attacks are in retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel in the war against Hamas.
The United States has 900 troops deployed in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State militants.