US carries out drone strike in Baghdad, Iran-linked armed group commander killed

Washington, DC [US]: The United States carried out a drone strike in Baghdad on Wednesday that killed three Kataeb Hezbollah members, including a high-ranking commander, according to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). 

According to CENTCOM, the commander was “responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region.” 

“There are no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties at this time,” CENTCOM said. 

“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 wrote on X. 

Citing US officials, CNN reported that the strike in Baghdad on Wednesday was intended to kill Wisam Mohammed Sabre al-Saedi.

Kataib Hezbollah issued a statement in grief for al-Saedi, adding that his death “calls us to remain steadfast in the jihadist approach.” 
On Wednesday, local police authorities reported that the attack damaged an SUV in Al-Mashtal, a predominately Shia district in eastern Baghdad. 

Meanwhile, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said in a statement on X on Wednesday that it sees the strike as “new aggression by the United States.” 

The strike took place as the US has been preparing retaliation operations against Iran-backed terrorists who conducted a drone attack on a US base in Jordan last month, killing three American soldiers and injuring 40 others. 

The United States has blamed the attack on an umbrella organisation of Iran-backed groups known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.