BAGHDAD
\nUS air strikes targeting pro-Iranian forces in Iraq claimed at least one life and drew an angry response from Baghdad on Tuesday amid high regional tensions over the Israeli aggression against Gaza.
\nIraq condemned as \u201ca clear hostile act\u201d the overnight US strikes, saying they had killed one member of the security forces and wounded 18 other people, including civilians.
\nWashington has repeatedly targeted sites used by Iran and pro-Tehran forces in Iraq and Syria in response to more than 100 attacks on American and allied forces since Oct 7.
\nYet another rocket barrage was fired later on Tuesday morning at US and allied forces in Syria, at an American patrol base in Al-Shaddadi, but without causing casualties or damage, said a US military official.
\nDefence Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier announced the overnight strikes, saying that \u201cUS military forces conducted necessary and proportionate strikes on three facilities used by Kataeb Hezbollah and affiliated groups in Iraq\u201d.
\nAustin said \u201cthese precision strikes are a response to a series of attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias\u201d. The attacks had included a drone strike on Monday by Kataeb Hezbollah and affiliated groups on Arbil Air Base, Austin said. It wounded three US military personnel, one critically, said US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
\nUS President Joe Biden had directed the US strikes in a call with Austin and other national security officials, a statement said. Biden \u201cplaces no higher priority than the protection of American personnel serving in harm\u2019s way,\u201d it added.
\n\u2018No, no to America\u2019
\nThe latest drone attack against American forces was claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose formation of armed groups affiliated with the Hashed al-Shaabi. A funeral was held for the dead fighter, attended by dozens of people who shouted \u201cNo, no to America\u201d, a photographer said.
\nMany in the crowd carried Hashed flags and photos of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed in a US strike in Baghdad in January 2020. A US military tally has counted 105 attacks against its troops in Iraq and Syria since Oct 17, most claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which opposes US support for Israel.
\nThe United States now has about 2,500 soldiers deployed in Iraq and around 900 in Syria as part of efforts to prevent a resurgence of the militant Islamic State group.
\n\u201cIt 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,\u201d it said in a statement.
\nAn Iraq interior ministry official said one strike had targeted a Hashed site in Hilla, capital of Babylon province. One person was killed and 20 wounded, the official said, giving a higher injured toll than the government.
\nFour others were wounded in a second strike in Wassit province, the official said, a casualty toll confirmed by security sources in both Babylon and Wassit provinces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BAGHDAD US air strikes targeting pro-Iranian forces in Iraq claimed at least one life and drew an angry response from Baghdad on Tuesday amid high regional tensions over the Israeli aggression against Gaza. Iraq condemned as \u201ca clear hostile act\u201d the overnight US strikes, saying they had killed one member of the security forces and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":377178,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-377144","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n