Shafaq News/ Washington's attacks against Iran-backed paramilitary groups herald a shift in the U.S. military policy in Iraq as tension rises against the backdrop of the Hamas-Israeli conflict, former lawmaker Methal al-Allousi said on Tuesday.

In one incident, a US drone targeted a military pickup truck carrying munitions on the Abu Ghraib highway. The truck was en route from Baghdad to Anbar. The munitions were destroyed in the attack, which was attributed to Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group.

In a separate incident, an unidentified drone attacked a vehicle near the Ramadi in the Anbar governorate. Two persons, who are believed to be members of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq movement - another Iran-backed militia, were wounded in the attack and taken to a hospital nearby. The two men refused to cooperate with the police officers in charge of the investigation.

At 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, Ain al-Asad air base was hit by two rockets launched from the 35th kilometer intersection, 64 kilometers from the base. There were no reported casualties.

Al-Allousi said that this is the first time that the U.S. forces retaliated despite being a target of more than 60 attacks in Iraq and Syria since October 17.

"It was not unexpected," he told Shafaq News Agency. "The US administration cannot remain silent for too long as the Iraqi government has failed in deterring these attacks."

"The U.S. forces might wage new attacks against these factions. They might target some of their leaders, particularly those involved in shelling U.S. sites in Iraq and Syria," al-Alosi added.