(Baghdad) The United States claimed responsibility for strikes carried out early Wednesday in Iraq against sites held by pro-Iran armed groups and which left two dead, bombings initiated in retaliation for recurring attacks targeting American soldiers in the country.
According to Iraqi sources, the strikes targeted the Hezbollah Brigades, a turbulent faction affiliated with the former Hachd al-Chaabi paramilitaries, in the Jurf al-Sakhr sector about sixty kilometers south of the capital Baghdad, as well as in the Al-Qaim region, on the border with neighboring Syria.
The bombings in the Al-Qaïm sector left two dead and two injured, an official at the Iraqi Interior Ministry and a source within Hachd al-Chaabi, whose men were arrested, told AFP. integrated into the regular forces.
The American strikes come in an already explosive regional context, fueled by the repercussions of the war in Gaza between Israel – Washington’s ally – and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas – supported by Iran.
American Defense Minister Lloyd Austin confirmed in a statement “necessary and proportionate strikes” carried out in Iraq against “three installations used by the Hezbollah Brigades” but also “other groups affiliated with Iran”.
These bombings, he explained, are “in direct response” to a series of attacks carried out by “militias sponsored by Iran” against the American military and the troops of the international anti-jihadist coalition in Iraq and Syria. .
“Escalation of conflict”
For its part, the American military Command in the Middle East (Centcom) indicated that the bombings had targeted sites and warehouses used by the Hezbollah Brigades as well as training bases used for the initiation of “rockets, missiles and drones.”
“We do not want an escalation of the conflict in the region,” Mr. Austin further assured, while warning that Washington was “fully prepared to take additional measures to protect” American personnel.
Since mid-October, more than 150 drone attacks or rocket attacks have targeted American soldiers and those of the international coalition deployed in Iraq and Syria to fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.
These attacks were claimed by the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq”, a network of fighters from pro-Iran armed groups.
Classified as a “terrorist” group by Washington and targeted by sanctions, the Hezbollah Brigades have already been targeted by bombings in recent weeks. The group has publicly displayed its participation and support for the actions of the “Islamic Resistance”.
Late Tuesday, several “attack drones” were launched against international coalition troops stationed at the Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq, causing “injury and damage” according to a American military official.
“Real threat”
Already on Saturday, the Aïn al-Assad base had been targeted by several salvos of missiles. “It was a very serious attack, using ballistic missiles which posed a real threat,” reacted Jon Finer, one of US President Joe Biden’s national security advisers, during an interview on ABC.
In retaliation for attacks against its military personnel in Iraq, Washington has already carried out several strikes in recent weeks against armed groups favorable to Iran in the country.
The situation forces Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Chia al-Soudani to engage in a delicate balancing act. Brought to power by a coalition of pro-Iran parties, he also seeks to preserve the strategic ties uniting Baghdad and Washington.
The head of government has several times reiterated his call for the withdrawal of the international coalition, believing that putting an end to the mission of these foreign troops was “a necessity for the security and stability” of his country.
Washington has around 2,500 soldiers in Iraq and nearly 900 in Syria engaged with the international coalition launched in 2014 to fight IS.