Iraq has voiced strong opposition to the recent U.S. military airstrikes conducted within its borders, labeling the actions as aggressive and an infringement on the nation’s sovereignty.
The offensive by U.S. forces, executed on Monday, was aimed at Iranian-supported militias in Iraq. This move was in retaliation to a drone strike earlier the same day that wounded three members of the U.S. military.
Iraqi officials reported on Tuesday that the U.S. operation resulted in the death of an Iraqi security personnel and injuries to 18 individuals, some of whom were civilians, as reported by various media outlets.
The Iraqi government released a statement deeming the U.S. military action as an “unacceptable breach of Iraqi sovereignty.” It also emphasized that attacks by armed factions on U.S.-led coalition advisors constitute hostile activities that undermine the sovereignty of Iraq. This stance was met with criticism from Kataib Hezbollah.
A stern warning was issued by Abu Ali al-Askari, a security representative for the group, cautioning those he referred to as faint-hearted against testing their patience.
In a subsequent development, a volley of rockets was launched against U.S. and allied troops stationed at Al-Shaddadi, a patrol base in Syria, on Tuesday morning. A U.S. military spokesperson confirmed that the attack caused neither damage nor casualties.
Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, stated that Kataib Hezbollah, which falls under a broader coalition of Iran-supported militants, has claimed responsibility for the assault on Monday that left one U.S. service member critically injured.
U.S. and coalition forces have been active in the region with the objective of dismantling the Islamic State network in Iraq and Syria.
According to the U.S. military, most of these hostile attempts have been neutralized or have missed their intended targets, resulting in no substantial damage. However, incidents like the one on Monday have led to injuries among U.S. military personnel. In the past, such incidents have prompted retaliatory strikes by the U.S. against Kataib Hezbollah and other similar groups, including actions taken in November.
Iraq has condemned U.S. airstrikes on its territory, labeling them as hostile and a breach of sovereignty. The American airstrikes were in retaliation to a drone attack by Iran-backed militias that wounded three U.S. service members. Iraq reported that the U.S. strikes resulted in one Iraqi security force member’s death and injured 18 others, including civilians. The Iraqi government criticized both the U.S. actions and similar attacks by armed groups on coalition forces. Meanwhile, Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia, warned against testing their patience. Following the airstrikes, rockets were fired at U.S. and allied forces in Syria, with no reported casualties or damage. The U.S. maintains its presence in the region as part of the mission to counter ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and while most attacks have been intercepted or missed their targets, some have resulted in injuries to U.S. personnel. Previous U.S. retaliations have targeted Kataib Hezbollah and similar groups.
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