Lagatar24 Desk
Baghdad, Iraq: In a significant development, US forces executed a “defensive” airstrike in Iraq’s Babylon province, targeting combatants preparing to launch drones perceived as a threat to American and allied troops. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals, according to Iraqi sources.
The airstrike marks the first such action by US forces in Iraq since February when a pro-Iran commander involved in assaults on US troops was killed. “Tonight, US forces in Iraq conducted a defensive airstrike targeting combatants attempting to launch one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems,” stated a US defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Central Command assessed that the drones posed a significant threat to US and coalition forces.
The official emphasized, “We maintain the inherent right to self-defense and will not hesitate to take appropriate action.”
The Hashed al-Shaabi, an alliance of pro-Iran former paramilitary groups now integrated into Iraq’s security forces, reported that the missile strikes left four people dead at a base in Babylon. However, they did not mention any attempt to launch drones from the ground. “Available information suggests that two patrols were targeted with missiles fired from drones,” the Hashed said in a statement.
An official from the alliance informed AFP that “four people were killed and others were critically wounded in blasts that hit a base belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi.” A security source confirmed the fatalities, adding that the death toll could rise.
Recent attacks have targeted US and allied forces in Iraq, including several rockets launched toward the Ain al-Assad base last week, which hosts troops from the US-led coalition against the Islamic State jihadist group. On July 16, two drones were launched toward the same facility, with one being destroyed and another causing minimal damage.
Prior to these incidents, US troops in Iraq and Syria had not faced attacks since April. However, during the initial months of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, they were targeted over 175 times. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed groups, claimed the majority of these attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
In January, a drone strike attributed to these groups killed three US soldiers at a base in Jordan. In retaliation, US forces conducted dozens of strikes against Tehran-backed fighters. Since then, the frequency of attacks against US troops has significantly decreased.
Baghdad has been actively working to defuse tensions, engaging in discussions with Washington regarding the future of the US-led coalition’s mission in Iraq. The US military currently maintains approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria, deployed at the Iraqi government’s request in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group, which had seized large territories in Iraq and Syria.
Despite these efforts, remnants of the Islamic State continue to carry out attacks and ambushes in both countries.
