The United States has killed a leader of the pro-Iran militia Kataib Hezbollah in a drone attack in Baghdad this Wednesday, in Iraq, according to the Central Command. The commander of the insurgent group had been in charge of the attacks that Kataib Hezbollah had launched against positions of US forces in that country since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in October, according to the same sources.
This is the second US attack on Iraqi territory since last weekend it attacked facilities of pro-Iran groups in that country and Syria in retaliation for the death of three of its soldiers in a drone attack in Jordan that left several injured. another forty, amid fears that the conflict in Gaza could spread to other parts of the Middle East. The coup coincides with Secretary of State Antony Blinken's fifth visit to the region since the war in the Strip began, on a mission in which he tries to pressure for a temporary truce agreement between Israel and Hamas and prepare for the day after. of the conflict.
The attack occurred at 9:30 a.m. Baghdad time, according to the Central Command statement, which ensures that so far “there are no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties.” The Kataib Hezbollah leader had been “directly responsible for planning and participating in attacks against US forces in the region.”
“The United States will continue to take the necessary actions to protect our own. We will not hesitate to hold accountable all those who threaten the security of our forces,” says the command responsible for US forces in the Middle East.
In the first round of strikes, the Pentagon had launched airstrikes with 125 precision munitions against more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria. In the first country, 23 people guarding the facilities were killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has observers on the ground. In the second, 16, including civilians who were near the places attacked, according to the Government.
This Monday, Pentagon spokesman General Pat Ryder said that more than eighty of the 85 targets had been destroyed or unusable. Among those targets were underground ammunition depots, intelligence and command centers, as well as arsenals of missiles, rockets and drones.
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After those blows, in which Washington even used bomber planes that flew expressly from its bases in the United States, President Joe Biden's Administration had assured that more retaliatory attacks would occur, at the time and place of its preference. But he also maintains that he does not want to widen the conflict or trigger a direct confrontation with Iran.
The United States has also carried out airstrikes against Houthi guerrilla positions in Yemen, also backed by Iran, to try to prevent these groups' attacks on ships crossing the Red Sea.
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