The “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” announced that it attacked with drones two American bases in Syria in response to the Israeli massacres in the Gaza Strip.
It said – in a statement published today, Saturday – that it targeted “Al-Tanf base and Al-Shaddadi base deep inside Syria,” stressing that it would continue “to destroy enemy strongholds,” according to the statement.
This comes amid American fears of the outbreak of a wide-ranging regional conflict as a result of the Israeli war on Gaza. An American official said yesterday, Thursday, that American forces in the Middle East have been subjected to about 115 attacks since last October 17.
An American drone attack – Thursday – led to the killing of Talib Ali Al-Saidi, a leader in the Al-Nujaba movement, which is affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces factions.
The Pentagon said that Al-Saidi was killed in a raid on Baghdad, because he “posed a threat and planned attacks against American military personnel in Iraq and Syria.”
On the other hand, Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani condemned the attack and considered it a “dangerous escalation and assault on Iraq,” blaming the US-led international coalition responsible for this “unjustified” targeting of an Iraqi security body.
Al-Sudani also announced – yesterday, Friday – the formation of a committee to arrange the end of the presence of international coalition forces in the country, stressing Baghdad’s “steadfast and principled” position to achieve this.
About 2,500 American soldiers are deployed in Iraq and 900 others in Syria as part of what the United States says is a mission to provide advice and support to local forces.