On Wednesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it executed an airstrike in Iraq, resulting in the death of a senior leader from the Kata’ib Hezbollah resistance group.
CENTCOM reported that the strike took place at 9:30 p.m. on February 7 in response to attacks on US service members. The operation targeted a Kata’ib Hezbollah commander directly involved in planning and carrying out attacks against US forces in the region, according to the statement released by CENTCOM.
As of now, there is no evidence of collateral damage or civilian casualties, and CENTCOM emphasised its commitment to taking necessary measures to safeguard US citizens. The command asserted its readiness to hold accountable those who pose a threat to the safety of US forces.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of militants, including the Iran-backed Kata’ib Hezbollah, has been launching drone and missile attacks on US forces in the region over several months, coinciding with Israel’s ongoing conflict with the besieged Gaza Strip.
In the preceding month, a suicide drone attack at Tower 22, a remote military installation in Jordan near the Syrian and Iraqi borders, claimed the lives of three American troops. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack.
President Joe Biden acknowledged that he had made a decision on how to respond to such incidents but refrained from providing specific details.
