On Friday night, an airstrike against the military base 40 kilometers south of Baghdad operated by the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a pro-Iran paramilitary structure, resulted in the death of at least one person and injuries to 20 others. The PMF reported that three drones hit the main entrance to the base and one of its offices. The base houses Iraqi military and police, as well as fighters from the PMF, which is recognized as a formal security force by the Iraqi authorities.
The perpetrator of the attack remains unknown, with both militia sources and international coalition leaders denying involvement. Israeli sources also denied any participation in the attack and expressed readiness to respond to whoever is behind it. In recent months, there have been tensions between Iran and Israel, with Iran launching direct attacks on Israeli soil and uncertainty over a potential Israeli ground offensive in Gaza.
These attacks add to the broader context of escalating conflicts in the region, highlighting the complex dynamics between various armed groups and international actors involved in ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, part of the Axis of Resistance group influenced by Iran, has carried out numerous attacks against US troops in Iraq and targeted Israel and its ally, the United States, in response to Israeli offensives in Gaza.
