US Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Hezbollah Sites in Iraq
The U.S. military carried out airstrikes on locations in Iraq linked to the Kataib Hezbollah militia and other Iranian-affiliated groups.
These strikes were a retaliatory measure following an attack by pro-Iranian militias, who had launched multiple missiles at the U.S. Army’s Ain al-Assad base on January 20.
Late Tuesday, the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) revealed that American forces had targeted three facilities utilized by the Kataib Hezbollah militia and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq.
The identified targets encompassed a militia headquarters, along with storage and training centers for rockets, missiles, and attack drones, as stated in the Centcom announcement.
Iraq responded by asserting that the U.S. had conducted airstrikes on the sites of Iraqi military units from both the army and the popular mobilization forces, which included various Iranian-aligned groups.
In a statement, Yehia Rasool, a spokesman for Iraq’s army commander-in-chief, condemned the U.S. action, describing it as a blatant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and contributing to an irresponsible escalation.
“It occurs at a time when the region is already grappling with the danger of expanding conflict and the repercussions of the aggression on Gaza.
“The consequences of the immoral war of extermination faced by the Palestinian people. While the major powers, including the United States, remained silent regarding these crimes, we see the U.S. sliding into condemnable and unjustified aggressive actions against Iraqi territory and national sovereignty,’’ he said.
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“Iraq will treat these strikes as acts of aggression and take necessary actions to preserve Iraqi lives,’’ he added.
The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip since October 7 has heightened the security situation across the entire region.
This war erupted when militants associated with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and other factions initiated attacks on southern Israel.
