A U.S. military strike in Baghdad on Wednesday claimed the life of the leader of Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia group. The group has been implicated in numerous attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing tensions in the region.
The operation targeted a key figure in Kata’ib Hezbollah, a group that the Biden administration has held responsible for a series of attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since October.
American positions have been hit with drones, rockets, or missiles at least 168 times in that span. An attack in Jordan on Jan. 28 that killed three U.S. soldiers was the first time one turned deadly.
“The United States will continue to take necessary action to protect our people. We will not hesitate to hold responsible all those who threaten our forces’ safety,” said a U.S. official, emphasizing the resolve of the U.S. in dealing with threats to its personnel.
Militias organized under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have framed their attacks on U.S. personnel as a protest of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and American support for it. The latest strike is certain to cause an outcry in Iraq, where the government in Baghdad has forcefully objected to the bloodshed and complained about being caught in the middle of a fight between the United States and groups armed and trained by Iran.
Loud booms were heard across the capital on Wednesday night. The Iraqi military later announced that a civilian car had been targeted in the Mashtal neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, killing all of its occupants, who were not identified. Crowds later gathered around the blackened vehicle, a Jeep, and at one point security officers removed a body from underneath the car.
Last week, U.S. forces struck 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, destroying or damaging virtually all of them, officials have said. The Iraqi government reported civilian casualties afterward and summoned a senior U.S. diplomat to issue an official note of protest.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said that civilians were killed in the strikes and that Iraq does not want to be an arena “for settling scores between rival countries.”
“Hezbollah strongly condemns the blatant American aggression against Iraq and Syria. What the United States of America has done is a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the two countries, an attack on their security and territorial integrity, and a shameless violation of all international and humanitarian laws,” said a statement from Hezbollah, expressing their strong disapproval of the U.S. actions.
Administration officials have said they will take all necessary measures to protect U.S. troops. On Sunday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby implored the Iraqi government to “move with more alacrity” in addressing the threats posed to roughly 3,500 American military personnel who are based in the country and neighboring Syria.
“Three Americans were killed, three troops; three families now are grieving,” Kirby told Fox News. “The president’s not going to sit back and idly just take that. We’re going to respond.”
This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran-backed militia groups in the region. It remains to be seen how this will impact the already tense relations between the U.S., Iraq, and Iran. As the situation continues to unfold, the international community will be watching closely for the next developments.