Iraq Warns US Of Strained Relations After Overnight Strikes

One of the paramilitary leaders of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces has warned the U.S. that they will issue a strong response to the latest provocation, which was carried out on Sunday evening.

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The attack, which was killed as many as 25 people, targeted the bases of Kata'ib Hezbollah, one of the largest factions in the Popular Mobilization Forces.

The leader of Kata'ib Hezbollah, Jamal Ja'afar Ibrahimi (AKA Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandis), warned the U.S., “the blood of the martyrs will not be in vain and our response will be very tough on the American forces in Iraq."

The Iraqi President Barham Salih has condemned the U.S. airstrikes on Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah's bases in Iraq and Syria, describing the act as violation of his country's sovereignty.

“This contradicts our agreements. It is harmful to Iraq and is unacceptable,” Salih was quoted as saying. The president was also said to have characterised the attacks as being inconsistent with the security agreements between the two countries.

Iraq's outgoing Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi also expressed his condemnation of the strikes, with an Iraqi military spokesman saying that the prime minister told Pentagon Chief Mark Esper that Iraq rejects any unilateral military action that has not been approved by the Iraqi government.

“We have previously confirmed our rejection of any unilateral action by the coalition forces or any other forces inside Iraq, and we consider it a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a dangerous escalation that threatens the security of Iraq and the region,” the spokesman said, quoting the prime minister’s remarks.

The U.S. military carried out heavy strikes against five Kata'ib Hezbollah bases in Iraq's Al-Qa'im District and Syria's Deir Ezzor province. This attack resulted in the death of 25 people and the destruction of these sites.