US Military Denies Any Involvement in Air Strike That Hit Iran-Backed Forces in Iraq

US Military Refutes Allegations of Involvement in Air Strike Targeting Iran-Backed Forces in Iraq

April 21, 2024 TruthUSA

Approximately 2,500 U.S. troops are currently stationed in Iraq.

The U.S. military has stated that it does not have any evidence to suggest that U.S. forces were behind a massive explosion at a military base in Iraq that resulted in the death of a member of Iraq’s Iran-backed paramilitary forces on Friday.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) posted on X, formerly Twitter, late on Friday, “We are aware of reports alleging that the United States carried out airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are false. The United States did not conduct any airstrikes in Iraq today.”

According to Reuters, two security sources reported that airstrikes triggered an explosion early Saturday at 1 a.m. local time.

The explosion reportedly occurred at Kalso military base, just 30 miles south of Baghdad in Iraq’s central Babil/Babylon province. The military base is home to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)—a coalition of around 40 paramilitary forces mostly made up of Iran-backed Shi’ite militias that are technically under the authority of the Iraqi military.

In addition to the death of one PMF member, eight others were reportedly injured, as per Reuters.

A PMF force commander informed Reuters that the explosion was an intentional attack. Meanwhile, the Iraqi military stated that it is looking into the cause of the explosion and fire at the base. It noted that there were no drones or warplanes detected in the sky at the time of the incident.

Proxy Wars in Iraq

Tensions have lingered in Iraq between pro-U.S. and pro-Iran factions within the government, military, and the PMF for a number of years.

The PMF militias hold several parliamentary seats in the Iraqi government, granting them significant power. They have been spearheading a campaign in the Iraqi parliament to terminate an agreement that allows the presence of U.S.-led International Coalition Forces in the region.

In December 2023, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who came to office in 2022 with the support of the PMF militias that struck U.S. bases, declared that his government will strive to eliminate the existence of U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq, which encompass “security advisers who provide support to the security forces in the realms of training, advice, and intelligence collaboration.”

Such initiatives peaked again in January following a U.S. strike in Baghdad that killed a commander of the PMF’s Iran-linked Kataib Hezbollah group over its persistent attacks on U.S. forces in the region.

Opinions in Iraq are divided, with some condemning attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq while others criticize Washington’s military actions in the area as breaches of Iraq’s sovereignty.

As of now, the U.S.-led Coalition comprises 86 countries, in addition to the European Union, NATO, and Interpol. It remains active in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to prevent the resurgence of ISIS. Its mission also involves training and supporting local groups and militias aligned with the United States.

Approximately 2,500 U.S. troops are currently deployed in Iraq.

The explosion occurred just a day after Israel seemingly struck Isfahan in response to Iran’s direct attack on Israel on April 13. Isfahan plays a crucial role in Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran retaliated, citing a deadly precise strike on two of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military generals that it attributed to Israel. The attack occurred in a building adjacent to the Iranian and Canadian Embassies in Syria’s capital of Damascus. Five others, including a Hezbollah member, were also killed.

One of the generals killed was Gen. Ali Reza Zahdi (also spelled Reza Zahedi), who the IRGC claims led its elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016. He was honored on April 3 by the Coalition Council of Islamic Revolution Forces for his involvement in planning and executing the Al-Aqsa Storm attack on Israel on Oct. 7, as reported by Iranian dissident news organization Iran International.

Adam Morrow and Reuters contributed to this report.

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