U.S. Conducts Air Strike Against Hizbollah in Iraq and Syria

“U.S. forces have conducted precision defensive strikes against five [Kata’ib Hizbollah] facilities in Iraq and Syria”. The strikes were in response to recent Hizbollah attacks including “a 30-plus rocket attack on an Iraqi base near Kirkuk that resulted in the death of a U.S. citizen and injured four U.S. service members and two members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).”

Hizbollah “has a strong linkage with Iran’s Quds Force”, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says if “rockets are being launched against our contractors and our bases in Iraq,… this is approved by Iran.” Iran has come out to “strongly deny any role in the attack on American forces.”

Reuters reports “at least 25 militia fighters were killed and at least 55 wounded” in the five U.S. air strikes.