US Drone Strike Kills Iran-Backed Militia Leader In Iraq

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesdy it conducted a unilateral drone strike in Iraq that killed a Kataib Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. forces in the region.

“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,” the CENTCOM statement concluded

While CENTCOM didn’t name the commander, BBC is reporting that the strike killed “the leader of Kataib Hezbollah and two of his guards who were in a vehicle when it was targeted in the east of the Iraqi capital,” Baghdad. Reuters, citing two security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, reports the commander was Abu Baqir al-Saadi.

The drone strike was in response to the attacks on U.S. service members, CENTCOM said, adding there are no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties at this time.

The US military had said that Kataib Hezbollah was responsible for the attacks that killed three US soldiers in Iraq. For its part, following that attack Kataib Hezbollah said it was suspending attacks on American troops.