Iraq’s government issued a strong condemnation on Tuesday regarding overnight US airstrikes on Iraqi military positions, labeling them a “clear hostile act.” The strikes, carried out in retaliation by the United States, came in response to a drone attack earlier in the day by Iran-aligned militants, resulting in one US service member in critical condition and two others wounded.
The Iraqi government deemed the US airstrikes an “unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty.” It emphasized that attacks by armed groups targeting military bases hosting US-led coalition advisers are considered hostile acts and a breach of Iraqi sovereignty.
According to two Iraqi security sources, the overnight US strikes targeted the headquarters of the Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah in the city of Hilla, south of Baghdad. The strikes resulted in the death of one fighter from Kataib Hezbollah, with 16 others wounded, as reported by the security sources on the condition of anonymity.
In response, Kataib Hezbollah criticized the government for condemning the militia’s attacks against US-led coalition targets. A security official from the group, Abu Ali al-Askari, warned against testing their patience and vowed to continue attacks against US forces.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani faces challenges in exerting control over certain Iran-backed factions, whose support he needed to secure power a year ago. These factions now constitute a powerful bloc in his governing coalition, and there is a lack of consensus among them regarding actions against US forces.
The United States maintains 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq, with a mission focused on advising and assisting local forces in preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State, which seized significant territories in both countries in 2014 before being defeated. The recent events underscore the complex dynamics and tensions in the region.
