US strikes Iraqi group about to launch drones on Israel
American forces launched an airstrike on Tuesday targeting an Iraqi militia that was about to launch attack drones on Israel.
The attack on the base of the Iraqi Shia movement Hashd ash-Shabi (Popular Mobilisation Units) was the first US strike in Iraq for six months and followed a series of attacks on American units in the region.
According to Middle Eastern intelligence sources, it was carried out based on intelligence that the movement was about to launch drones from the base towards American bases and Israel.
At least five militants were reportedly killed in the attack, including a member of the Yemeni Houthi organisation that has been launching rockets and drones at Israel since the war in Gaza began. An Iranian officer and drone specialist of the expeditionary
Quds Force, Ahmed Reza Afshari, was wounded in the strike.
The presence of the Iranian and the Yemeni indicates a training and targeting network throughout the Middle East in the use of Iranian attack drones, despite Iran’s protestations that organisations such as the Houthis have been attacking Israel of their own accord.
Similar drones and training have been provided by Iran to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.