US Forces Launch ‘Defensive’ Airstrike in Iraq, Four Dead

On Tuesday, July 30, American forces conducted a “defensive” air strike in Iraq targeting individuals who were allegedly preparing to launch drones perceived as a threat to US and allied troops, according to a US official. This marks the first such strike by US forces in Iraq since February.

The US defense official, speaking to AFP anonymously, stated, “Tonight, US forces in Iraq conducted a defensive air strike” in Babylon province aimed at “combatants attempting to launch one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems.” The Central Command assessed that the drones “posed a threat to US and coalition forces,” emphasizing the right to self-defense and readiness to act when necessary.

Iraqi sources reported that the strike resulted in at least four deaths. The Hashed al-Shaabi, an alliance of pro-Iran former paramilitary groups now part of Iraq’s security forces, mentioned missile strikes at a base in Babylon but did not comment on any attempted drone launches. Their statement indicated that “two patrols were targeted with missiles fired from drones.”

An official from the alliance told the news agency that “four people were killed and others were critically wounded in blasts that hit a base belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi,” with the death toll expected to rise.

This air strike follows two recent attacks on US and allied forces in Iraq. Last week, several rockets targeted the Ain al-Assad base, which hosts coalition troops. Additionally, on July 16, two drones were launched towards the same facility. One drone was “successfully destroyed” while the other caused “minimal damage.”

Before these incidents, US troops in Iraq and Syria had not been targeted since April. However, during the early months of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, they faced over 175 attacks, primarily claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an alliance of Iran-backed groups expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.