Iraq condemns the US attack on its territory

Shafaq News/ The Iraqi government condemned the US targeting of “Iraqi military sites.”

The government said in a statement that the attack “resulted in the martyrdom of one service member and the injury of 18 others, including civilians."

The Iraqi statement considers the operation “a clear hostile act. It runs counter to the pursuit of enduring mutual interests in establishing security and stability, and it opposes the declared intention of the American side to enhance relations with Iraq.”

“We emphasize that this action undermines the bilateral relations between the two nations and will further complicate the efforts to achieve mutual understandings through collaborative dialogue aimed at concluding the presence of the international coalition. Above all, it constitutes an unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty.” The statement added.

“Our security forces have succeeded in establishing security and stability throughout our country, and achieved victory over the terrorist ISIS gangs, which no longer pose a threat to Iraqi national security. Hence, safeguarding the gains of this victory stands at the heart of our security and strategic priorities, and we will not allow any entity to undermine what has been accomplished and solidified through invaluable sacrifices.”

At the same time, the Iraqi government asserted its stance against any attacks on the US-global coalition forces in Iraq.

On Tuesday, the United States launched strikes on Iran-backed forces in Iraq after a drone attack that injured U.S. service members.

The White House said the attack wounded three U.S. service members, one critically.

A statement by the White House said that President Biden “directed strikes against three locations utilized by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups focused specifically on unmanned aerial drone activities.”

“The President places no higher priority than protecting American personnel serving in harm’s way. The United States will act at a time and in a manner of our choosing should these attacks continue.” The White House said.

Security sources confirmed to Shafaq News Agency on Tuesday that American warplanes targeted the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces in the “Al-Jazaer” area of the city of Hilla in central Babel Governorate.

The U.S. operation came hours after Iraqi factions claimed responsibility for attacking U.S. forces at Harir base inside the Erbil International Airport in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Kateib Hezbollah is a leading faction in the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella term used to describe all Iran-backed forces in Iraq.

Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression in Gaza, the group launched dozens of operations on U.S. interests, including the U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

The group pointed out that Its operations aim to “expel the American occupation” and to support “Palestinian brothers.”

On the other hand, Washington accused Iran of “playing with fire” by directing the Axis of Resistance (including Iraqi factions, Lebanese Hezbollah, and Ansarallah of Yemen) to participate in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, accusations rejected by Tehran that confirmed on many occasions that the Axis takes decisions independently stressing that these factions “confront Israel for the crimes and genocidal actions against the Palestinian people.”

Currently, the U.S. maintains 2,500 troops in Iraq under the Iraqi government’s demand for training and advising.