U.S. forces conducted airstrikes against Kataib Hezbollah (KH), an Iran-backed Shiite militia group in Iraq, in response to attacks against U.S. forces.
The Iraqi government denounced the strikes, and two people were killed.
The U.S. described the strikes as necessary and proportionate, but Iraqi officials rejected this, calling the strikes a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.
“We do not seek to escalate conflict in the region. We are fully prepared to take further measures to protect our people and our facilities. We call on these groups and their Iranian sponsors to immediately cease these attacks,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.
“We will treat these operations as acts of aggression and take necessary actions to preserve the lives and dignity of Iraqis on their land that became safe and stable due to the sacrifices of our people,” Iraqi armed forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Yehia Rasool stated.
“While positive steps have been taken to reshape the future relationship and missions of the Coalition members and advisors in Iraq, the recent actions are hindering this progress, undermining agreements and various sectors of joint security cooperation,” he said.
“While the major powers, including the United States, remained silent regarding these crimes, we see the United States sliding into condemnable and unjustified aggressive actions against Iraqi territory and national sovereignty,” Rasool said.
Sudani’s national security adviser Qassem al-Araji labeled the airstrikes as a “flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty” that “do not help bring calm.”
“The U.S. side should pile on pressure for a halt to the offensive in Gaza, rather than targeting and bombing the bases of an Iraqi national body,” Araji said.
The Biden administration pleaded with the Iraqi government to restrain the Shiite militia forces, which are nominally part of the Iraqi military but take their orders from Tehran.
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