Iraq sees US attacks against pro-Iranian militias as a “violation” of its sovereignty
Iraq this Wednesday described as “aggression” and “violation” of its sovereignty the bombings carried out by the United States against suspected headquarters of pro-Iranian Iraqi Shiite militias, which are attacking bases with a US presence both in Iraq itself and in Syria. Israelis in Gaza. “The attack on the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces (…) is an attack and a blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty and does not contribute to calming the situation,” Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasem al Arayi said in his official report on X.
Al Arayi was referring to the bombings that US forces carried out yesterday morning against, among other things, the headquarters of Hezbollah's Kataib (Brigades) and rocket and missile storage facilities. This group is part of the pro-Iranian Shiite militia Popular Mobilization and the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which announces almost daily attacks on bases with a US military presence in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for Israel's war in Gaza.
Popular mobilization helped the Iraqi government defeat the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq. “The US side should apply pressure to stop the ongoing aggression against Gaza instead of attacking and bombing the headquarters of an Iraqi national institution,” Al Arayi added. The government of Iraq's prime minister, the Shiite Mohamed Shia al Sudani, has not yet commented on the new bombings, although on previous occasions he had expressed a situation similar to that of his national security adviser today, when he spoke about US retaliation against The terrorists considered attacks by Shiite groups as a “violation” of Iraqi sovereignty.
In addition, Al Sudani recently said at the Davos Forum that he is in contact with the United States to negotiate the end of the mission of American military advisers stationed in bases in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State.
The latest US attack comes a day after Washington imposed sanctions on three leaders and supporters of Kataib Hezbollah and the airline Fly Baghdad over their support of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and related groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
Kataib Hezbollah has been blamed for several drone and missile attacks on US personnel in Iraq and Syria since October 7, the day the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel, prompting that country to declare war in the Gaza Strip. The United States also accuses this militia and other pro-Iranian groups in Iraq of continually sending messages in support of Hamas and expressing their “commitment” to attacks on Americans.
The bombing this Tuesday comes in addition to the bombing carried out by the United States and the United Kingdom on Monday against several Houthi-Shiite rebel positions in Yemen. This was the two nations' second joint operation against the Houthi movement in response to their attacks. in the Red Sea. (Efe)