US conducts airstrikes on three facilities used by militias in Iraq

The United States on Wednesday (January 24, 2024) stated it carried out strikes on three facilities used by ‘Iran-backed’ militias in Iraq.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin stated the strikes had been carried out on three facilities used by the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group and different Iran-affiliated teams in Iraq.

“These precision strikes are in direct response to a sequence of escalatory assaults in opposition to U.S. and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias,” he stated.

The US Central Command stated in an announcement: “In response to assaults by the Iranian-backed militia group Kataib Hezbollah (KH), together with the assault on al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq on Jan. 20, on Jan. 24 at 12:15 a.m., U.S. CENTCOM forces carried out unilateral airstrikes in opposition to three facilities used by Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group and different Iran-affiliated teams in Iraq.”

“These strikes focused KH headquarters, storage, and coaching places for rocket, missile, and one-way assault UAV capabilities,” the assertion stated.

Austin stated: “I’m grateful for each the ability and professionalism with which our personnel deliberate and carried out these strikes and the continued efforts of our troops on the bottom as they work with regional companions to additional dismantle and degrade ISIS.”

Jafar al-Hussaini, the navy spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah, wrote on X as quoted by CNN that the group will “proceed to strike the strongholds of the enemies, in help of our folks in Gaza till the brutal killing machine backed by America stops, and the whole siege is lifted. This is the promise of the free folks”.

The newest strikes had been carried out simply days after US personnel at Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq had been injured in rocket and ballistic missile assaults.

Giving particulars in regards to the assault, US Central Command earlier posted on X: “Most of the missiles had been intercepted by the bottom’s air protection techniques whereas others impacted on the bottom. Damage assessments are ongoing. Plenty of U.S. personnel are present process analysis for traumatic mind accidents. At least one Iraqi service member was wounded.”

The preliminary evaluation is that Kataib Hezbollah was accountable for the ballistic missile assault, a defence official informed CNN