Retaliatory Strikes in Iraq and Syria
Following retaliatory strikes launched by the United States against dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, an Iraqi militia official hinted at a desire to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East. In an interview with The Associated Press in Baghdad, Hussein al-Mosawi, spokesperson for Harakat al-Nujaba, a main Iranian-backed militia in Iraq, condemned the U.S. strikes, emphasizing that “every action elicits a reaction.” However, he also conveyed a more conciliatory tone, stating that they do not wish to escalate or widen regional tensions. Al-Mosawi highlighted that the targeted sites in Iraq were mainly “devoid of fighters and military personnel at the time of the attack,” suggesting that the lack of damage could justify the restrained response.
Casualties and Damage
Syrian state media reported casualties from the strikes, with the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noting that 23 people were killed in the Syria strikes, all of whom were rank-and-file fighters. Meanwhile, the Iraqi government reported that the strikes near the Syrian border killed 16, including civilians, and caused significant damage to homes and private properties. While an initial assessment by a U.S. official showed that each of its planned targets was struck, there was no official casualty assessment provided at the time.
Reactions and Condemnation
Iraq’s foreign ministry announced its intent to summon the chargé d’affaires of the U.S. embassy to deliver a formal protest over the strikes on “Iraqi military and civilian sites.” These strikes were initiated as a retaliatory measure for a drone strike that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan, which the U.S. attributed to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iranian-backed militias. However, Iran has distanced itself from the attack, emphasizing that the militias operate independently.
Violation of Sovereignty
The Iraqi government and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of Iranian-backed militias, condemned the strikes as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, particularly since some targeted facilities belonged to the PMF. The PMF stated that one of the sites targeted was an official security headquarters of the group, with 16 killed and 36 wounded.
Delicate Position and Calls for De-escalation
The Iraqi government has been in a delicate position since the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a group of Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, began launching attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria. While Iraqi officials have tried to rein in the militias behind the scenes, they have also condemned U.S. retaliatory strikes as a violation of the country’s sovereignty. Furthermore, the Iraqi government has called for the withdrawal of the 2,500 U.S. troops in the country as part of an international coalition to fight IS. Last month, Iraqi and U.S. military officials launched formal talks to wind down the coalition’s presence, a process that is expected to take years.
Suspension of Attacks
Kataib Hezbollah, one of the main Iran-backed militias, announced the suspension of attacks on American troops following the strike that killed the U.S. troops in Jordan, aiming to avoid “embarrassing” the Iraqi government. This move reflects efforts to navigate the delicate political landscape while seeking to de-escalate tensions in the region
