Tension high as US strike kills pro-Iran commander in Baghdad

BAGHDAD

An American air strike in the Iraqi capital killed a senior commander from a pro-Iran armed group who was involved in attacks on Washington's troops in the region, the U.S. military has said.

Washington launched a wave of strikes on Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria last week following the killing of three American troops in neighboring Jordan on Jan. 28, and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the commander killed on Feb. 7 was targeted "in response to the attacks on U.S. service members.”

The strike killed "a Kataeb Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. forces in the region," according to CENTCOM, which said there are "no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties at this time.”

"The United States will continue to take necessary action to protect our people. We will not hesitate to hold responsible all those who threaten our forces' safety," it added.

Kataeb Hezbollah - which announced it was suspending violence against U.S. forces after the deadly Jordan attack — confirmed a commander who was responsible for the "military file" in Syria had been killed, identifying him as Abu Baqr al-Saadi.

The Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition of mainly pro-Iran paramilitaries — of which Kataeb Hezbollah is part — now integrated into Iraq's regular security forces, also confirmed Saadi's death in a statement.

'Playing with fire' 

An AFP photographer said security forces deployed in the neighbourhood, barring access to it after the attack.

Later in the evening the remains of a car were removed from the area.

Reacting to the commander's death, Iraq's pro-Iran Al-Nujaba movement in a statement promised a "targeted retaliation", assuring that "these crimes will not go unpunished".

The group added that American "violations" will not cease without "a firm official position from the Iraqi government".

Hamas also condemned a "violation of Iraq's sovereignty and security", according to a statement.

U.S. and allied troops have been attacked more than 165 times in the Middle East since mid-October in a campaign waged by Iran-backed armed groups angered by U.S. support for Israel in the war in Gaza.

The United States considers Kataeb Hezbollah — which Washington says may have been involved in the Jordan attack — a terrorist group.

The Hashed al-Shaabi has said that 16 of its fighters were killed and 36 people wounded in the U.S. strikes on Friday, which Washington said hit 85 targets at seven different sites in Iraq Syria.

"Targeting the Hashed al-Shaabi is playing with fire," the group's leader Faleh al-Fayyad warned on Sunday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said at least 29 pro-Iran fighters were killed in Syria.

The United States and Iraq opened talks on the future of the U.S.-led troop presence in January, following a request by the Iraqi prime minister for a timetable for their withdrawal.

Washington has some 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of an international coalition against the Islamic State group.

Its troops in Iraq are deployed at the invitation of Baghdad, but those in Syria are located in areas outside Syrian government control.