US Military Launches Defensive Airstrike on Unmanned Drone in Iraq
CENTCOM stated that the drone was considered a threat to American and coalition forces.
On July 30, U.S. forces in Iraq conducted an airstrike south of Baghdad in response to an alleged attempted attack involving an unmanned drone, as confirmed by a spokesperson from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
The spokesperson for CENTCOM, which oversees operations in the region, said in an email statement to The Epoch Times, “Tonight, U.S. forces in Iraq carried out a defensive airstrike in Musayib in Babil Province, targeting combatants attempting to launch one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems.”
Given recent attacks in Iraq and Syria, CENTCOM determined that the drone “posed a threat to U.S. and Coalition Forces,” according to the spokesperson.
No specific details were provided regarding the timing of the strike or any resulting casualties.
“This action demonstrates the United States’ dedication to the safety and security of our personnel,” the spokesperson emphasized. “We retain the inherent right to self-defense and will not hesitate to take appropriate measures.”
The July 30 airstrike is the first known U.S. strike in Iraq since February, when U.S. forces targeted over 85 sites in both Iraq and Syria associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, its elite Quds Force, and related groups that have repeatedly attacked U.S. troops.
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U.S.-led forces initially invaded Iraq in 2003, later returning in 2014 to support the government against the ISIS terrorist group.
The IDF stated that the military strike in Beirut was in retaliation for an earlier attack in the Golan Heights on July 27.
Shukr, known as “Sayyid Muhsan,” was Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s right-hand man and oversaw the planning and execution of wartime operations, according to the IDF.
The IDF also credited Shukr for managing the majority of Hezbollah’s advanced weaponry, including precision-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs.
Contributions to this report were made by Dan M. Berger.
