U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Wednesday that U.S. forces have carried out airstrikes against Kataib Hezbollah (KH), one of the largest and most aggressive Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq.
The airstrike was a response to the KH attack on U.S. forces in Iraq, which the Iraqi government condemned as an “act of aggression” by the United States.
Centcom Said Attacks on “KH's headquarters, storage, and training bases for rocket, missile, and one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities” were carried out by Shiite rebels, including a Jan. 20 attack on al-Asad air base in western Iraq. This was in response to attacks by militia groups.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the strikes were “necessary and appropriate.” statement on tuesday.
“We have no intention of escalating the conflict in the region. We are ready to take further steps to protect our people and facilities. We urge these groups and their Iranian sponsors to We call on you to stop these attacks immediately,” Austin said.
Iraqi officials said Wednesday's U.S. airstrike killed two people and wounded two more.
Rockets and missiles on January 20th attack The attack on al-Assad is the latest in a series of provocations by Iranian proxies since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. As with most terrorist attacks in Iraq, responsibility for the recent attack on al-Assad was claimed by the Islamic Resistance Group. Iraq'' (IRI) is an umbrella organization for Iranian-backed militias.
Most previous attacks by militias have been intercepted by the U.S. military, minimizing damage and casualties, but the Pentagon says some missiles from the recent barrage were able to penetrate air defenses and attack Al-Argentina. announced that they were able to cause unspecified damage to the Assad base. Several U.S. service members and at least one Iraqi service member were injured.
Iraqi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Yehia Rasool rejected Centcom and Austin's statements and condemned the U.S. airstrikes as a violation of Iraq's sovereignty.
“We will treat these operations as acts of aggression and take the necessary steps to protect the lives and dignity of Iraqis in a land that is safe and stable thanks to the sacrifices of our people,” Rasul said. declared on wednesday.
“Proactive steps have been taken to reshape the future relationship and mission of coalition members and advisors in Iraq, but recent actions have impeded this progress and disrupted various agreements and joint security cooperation. “It's hurting the field,” he said. awkward controversy Talks are underway between Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and the Pentagon over when U.S. troops will withdraw from Iraq.
Rasool accused the United States and its allies of ignoring “the immoral war of extermination facing the Palestinian people.” Iranian proxy forces in Iraq have been attacking US positions, ostensibly to pressure Israel to end its war against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.
“Although major powers, including the United States, have remained silent regarding these crimes, we see the United States embarking on reprehensible and unwarranted aggressive actions against Iraq's territory and national sovereignty,” Rasul said. Stated.
Qasem al-Araji, National Security Adviser to President Sudani, said: echoed Rasool said on Wednesday that the US airstrikes were a “clear violation of Iraq's sovereignty” and “will not help bring peace.”
“The U.S. side should increase pressure to stop the attack on Gaza, instead of targeting and bombing Iraqi state institutions' bases,” Arazi said.
Biden administration ineffective plea Sudan and its government cooperated several years ago to rein in the Shiite militias that nominally replaced Iraqi forces as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to fight the Islamic State invasion.
Despite this fiction of legitimacy, everyone knows that the PMF militia receives its orders from Tehran, not Baghdad, and that Iran has significant political influence over large parts of Iraq. know. Mr. Sudani understandably decided that the real threat to Iraq's stability was the U.S. military. The administration, along with other allies in China and Iran, took the official position that only ending Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza could stop Shiite militia attacks in Iraq. . Claim Only surrender to the Houthis, Tehran's proxies in Yemen, can stop attacks on Red Sea shipping.
CENTCOM targeted Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most powerful Iranian-backed Shiite militias. KH was working closely with Iranian terror leader General Qasem Soleimani to attack US military positions in Iraq when a US airstrike wiped out Soleimani in January 2020. KH founder Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in the airstrike along with Soleimani.
