American military eliminated commander of Hezbollah in Iraq
American military eliminated one of the commanders of the Kataib Hezbollah group (photo: Getty Images)
On Wednesday, February 7, U.S. military forces eliminated the commander of the Kataib Hezbollah group, responsible for attacks on American forces in the region. The target was neutralized by a drone strike on a vehicle in Baghdad. There were no reports of collateral damage or casualties among the civilian population, according to CNN.
The identity of the commander has not been disclosed yet. Local Iraqi police reported that the strike targeted a SUV in Al-Mashatali, a predominantly Shiite district in eastern Baghdad.
A CNN team on the ground in Baghdad heard at least two loud explosions in quick succession around 9:30 p.m. local time.
The two individuals inside the vehicle were not identified, as their bodies were burnt in the fire. The death of one of the leaders of Kataib Hezbollah was confirmed by a high-ranking source in the local security authorities and a senior source in the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).
"A specialized technical team from the security services began investigating an incident targeting a civilian vehicle within the Al-Mashtal area," the statement released Wednesday evening said.
Attack on a military base in Jordan and the U.S. response
On January 28, drones attacked the American military base Tower 22 in Jordan. According to the Pentagon, three soldiers were killed, and over 40 American soldiers were injured as a result of this attack.
The U.S. Department of Defense noted that the attack was carried out by the Kataib Hezbollah group, which is supported by Iran.
On the evening of February 2, U.S. forces launched strikes on more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria. The strikes lasted for about 30 minutes and targeted three sites in Iraq and four in Syria.
President Joe Biden announced the start of a military operation in the Middle East in response to the attack on the base in Jordan.
