Middle East Continues to Experience Unrest as Pro-Iran Forces in Iraq are Targeted: 10 Key Points

There are reports of a bombing at a military base in central Iraq that housed army troops and pro-Iranian paramilitaries. The US military has denied any involvement in the attack. The base is home to the former pro-Iranian paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi, an umbrella outfit of mostly Shiite armed groups originally formed to fight ISIS. Hashed al-Shaabi has reported “material losses” and casualties as a result of the attack, which hit equipment, weapons, and vehicles stored in warehouses.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the US military has confirmed that its forces were not involved. These events have occurred in the context of escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, who are on the brink of conflict following recent hostilities in Gaza. Earlier in the month, Israel attacked Iran’s embassy in Syria, resulting in casualties. In response, Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel.

The exchange continued with Israel reportedly launching a drone attack on Iranian soil, causing explosions near Isfahan, Iran’s third-largest city. Iran activated its air defense system, and despite reports of missiles being fired, Iran claimed to have shot down several drones and denied any missile attacks. An Iranian official warned that further Israeli actions against Iran’s interests would elicit an immediate and maximum-level response. tensions between the two countries remain high and the situation continues to develop.