A US strike in Iraq killed a “pro-Iranian commander” who was “involved in attacks on US forces.” This was announced by the US Department of Defense on Thursday.
The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani described the attack as “blatant aggression” and a “dangerous escalation.”
The American attack targeted a leader of the Hezbollah al-Nujaba movement, an armed organization in Iraq, who was “actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks on American personnel.” Another member of the group was also killed in the attack, according to Pentagon spokesman Pat Rader.
The attack is likely to intensify calls for the departure of American forces from Iraq. The United States has about 2,500 soldiers in Iraq and 900 in Syria. They are part of the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS).
There is much criticism in Iraq of American support for Israel. More than 22,000 Palestinians, the vast majority of them civilians, have been killed in the current war between Israel and Hamas. There have been several attacks on American forces in Iraq in recent weeks.
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