US struck Iran-backed militias after new threats

The US carried out airstrikes against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq after threats from the groups. The groups had paused attacks on US forces after a deadly attack by Kataib Hezbollah on US forces in Jordan in January in which three Americans were killed. However, in mid-July the Iranian-backed militias began their attacks again, first targeting US forces at Asad base in Iraq and then expanding the attacks to Syria.

"US forces in Iraq conducted a defensive airstrike in the Musayib in Babil Province, targeting combatants attempting to launch one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (OWAUAS)," a US officials told ABC News. The strikes targeted a site south of Baghdad. The Iranian-backed militias in Iraq use these sites to stockpile weapons and munitions. "Based on recent attacks in Iraq and Syria, US Central Command assessed that the OWAUAS posed a threat to U.S. and Coalition Forces," the US official told ABC.

Several people were killed in the strike, according to reports from Iraq. The incident came a day after the Iranian-backed militia Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba said that it would renew attacks on US forces.

Accordingg to reports at Al-Ain media in the UAE, an Iraqi security source said that the raid targeted Kataib Hezbollah. Kataib Hezbollah is considered the most deadly and sophisticated of the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. It was responsible for the killing of the three Americans in Jordan in January. The report said that the militia members were based at Al-Sa’idat and Al-Uwaisat (Jurf Al-Sakhr) areas in Babil Governorate, south of Baghdad. READ MORE