Senior Commander in Shiite Militias in Iraq Assassinated

According to reports in Iraq, the commander of the Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Baghdad, Haji Mushtaq Talib al-Syidi, was killed in an airstrike by the U.S. Air Force. In the explosion, another assistant was killed, and five others were injured.

In recent months, militia forces have attacked various bases of the U.S. Army in Iraq. The attacks have intensified since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza, following allegations that the United States is assisting Israel in the fighting.

About a month and a half ago, the United States attacked various bases in Syria belonging to Iranian militias, and according to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, "President Biden has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel."

In a speech following one of the attacks, he stated, "Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not allow them. If Iran's proxy attacks against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take necessary additional steps to protect our people."

"The narrowly tailored, self-defense strikes are solely aimed at protecting U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. They are separate and distinct from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and do not constitute a change in our approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict. We continue to urge all state and non-state actors not to take actions that would escalate the broader regional conflict."