Officials from Iraq have strongly criticized the overnight US drone strike in Baghdad, which resulted in the death of a senior commander of an Iran-backed militia. The militia is suspected of carrying out an attack on a US base in Jordan that claimed the lives of three American troops. A spokesperson for the Iraqi Armed Forces labeled the strike a “blatant assassination” and cited it as an example of the disruptive impact of US and allied forces in the region.
The U.S. military’s Central Command confirmed that the strike was carried out in response to attacks on U.S. service members, targeting the commander responsible for planning and participating in the assaults on U.S. forces in the area. The statement reassured that there were no signs of collateral damage or civilian casualties at the time of the strike.
Yehia Rasool, the spokesperson for the Iraqi Armed Forces, criticized the US for the strike, accusing it of carrying out a clear assassination in Baghdad without consideration for civilian lives or international laws. According to Rasool, the US-led international military coalition in Iraq has contributed to the instability in the country.
The US strike is the latest in a series of retaliatory actions against Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria. These events have coincided with US and UK strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been launching drones and missiles at ships in the Red Sea to show support for the Palestinian people during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria targeted over 85 locations associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and the militias supported by the Guard, in response to the deadly attack on the US base in Jordan.
Iran-backed groups have been increasing their attacks on U.S. bases with rockets and drones since the Gaza conflict began. The US-led coalition was established to combat ISIS, with approximately 2,500 troops still deployed in Iraq to advise and support local forces in preventing the resurgence of ISIS. The airstrikes have stirred resentment in Baghdad, with the Iraqi government denouncing them as a violation of the country’s sovereignty and a threat to its security.
Discussions between the U.S. and Iraq about the potential withdrawal of coalition forces had begun before the recent attacks. However, following the killing of US soldiers in Jordan, the talks were put on hold. Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has pushed for a resumption of the talks on the future of international military forces in Iraq during a call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The public in Iraq has also expressed growing anger over the US airstrikes.
As grieving members of the militia and Iraqi officials attended a large funeral for the slain leader in Baghdad, one of the group’s commanders vowed to avenge his death. The funeral saw crowds chanting anti-American slogans, echoing sentiments commonly heard in Iran and among its supporters.
An Iraqi parliament member, speaking anonymously, claimed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was behind the attacks on US forces in an attempt to pressure the withdrawal of American troops from the region. The lawmaker stated that the Iraqi government is caught in a conflict between the US and Iranian proxies, with US attacks giving the proxies leverage to push the international coalition out of Iraq. Iran has denied any involvement in the attacks carried out by the groups it supports across the region, asserting that the regional resistance factions operate independently.
Contributions from Margaret Brennan.
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