The Pentagon announced that a US strike in Baghdad on Thursday resulted in the death of a pro-Iran military commander, according to Major General Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman.
Al-Hashed al-Shaabi ex-paramilitaries claimed that the strike hit one of their headquarters. The Iraqi government labeled it as “blatant aggression,” reporting two deaths and seven injuries in the drone strike.
Ryder defended the action, stating it was in self-defense against a commander actively planning attacks on US personnel. The targeted individual was a leader of Harakat al-Nujaba, involved in planning and executing attacks against Americans. The strike was confirmed to have killed another member of the group. Tensions escalated in the region amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
The Hashed al-Shaabi, former pro-Iranian paramilitary units integrated into the Iraqi armed forces, condemned the strike. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called it a “dangerous escalation and assault,” holding the global coalition forces responsible.
The Pentagon emphasized Iraq’s importance as a partner and expressed a commitment to consulting closely with the Iraqi government regarding the safety and security of US forces.
