LAGOS MARCH 4TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Iranian-backed militias across the Middle East carried out strikes against American forces and partners across the region, a new escalation following the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, which killed the country’s supreme leader and much of its military leadership.
An Iranian-backed militia in Iraq and Hezbollah in Lebanon have joined the fight between Sunday and Monday, underscoring the widening conflict. America’s Gulf partners hosting U.S. troops came under retaliatory attack from Iran over the weekend, and European countries have announced defensive measures to counter Iranian drones and missiles.
The U.S. and Israel launched the first strikes in the early morning of Saturday.
The Iraqi Shiite militia Saraya Awliya al-Dam, backed by Iran, claimed a drone attack on Monday targeting U.S. troops at the airport in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, the Associated Press reported. The militia claimed another drone attack on Sunday against a U.S. air base in Iraq’s north.
In a statement from the office of the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, the government “affirmed that Iraq will remain committed to preventing escalation” and ensuring that its territories “are not used for any external or internal conflicts.”
From Lebanon, Hezbollah said it fired missiles on Israel early Monday in response to Khamenei’s killing and “repeated Israeli aggressions,” the AP reported. The Lebanese government called Hezbollah’s strikes “illegal”, the AP reported, and noted it was the first time in more than a year that the Iranian-backed group had claimed an attack.
Israel responded with strikes targeted against Beirut and southern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement, and announced it would go on the offensive against the militant group.
“The IDF will operate against Hezbollah’s decision to join the campaign and to operate on behalf of the Iranian regime and will not amenable any harm to the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement.
The Houthis in Yemen, also backed by Iran, reportedly issued a statement of support for Tehran but has not yet announced it will join military strikes.
The U.S. and Israel continued punishing strikes against Iran on Monday in an operation that has no clear timeline and which could stretch for weeks.
Both nations have long opposed Iran’s support for terrorist proxies, and Tehran rejected discussing its proxy forces in talks with the U.S. over the Iranian nuclear program.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the objectives are to eliminate Iran’s ability to project power beyond its borders, eliminate its missile capabilities, and destroy its Navy.
At least four U.S. service members were killed in action and five others seriously wounded. Separately, three F-15 fighter jets were shot down by Kuwait in an apparent friendly-fire incident, although all six pilots ejected safely and are in stable condition, U.S. Central Command said.
The Hill
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