The United States killed a senior commander of the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah group in a strike in Iraq on Wednesday, a senior official confirmed to CBS News. The targeted person was a commander responsible for operations in Syria.
The US Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East, said in a statement that the targeted commander “was responsible for direct planning and participation in attacks on US forces in the region.” US Central Command also said there were no indications of civilian casualties or collateral damage as a result of the strike.
Kataib Hezbollah is one of the Iranian-backed groups that the United States holds responsible for a series of attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria, as well as for a deadly drone strike in Jordan that killed three American soldiers and wounded dozens.
Officials told CBS News that the strike in Iraq was part of the response President Biden promised following the drone strike in Jordan.
US Central Command said retaliation for this attack began last Friday when the United States struck more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, including command and control operations centers and missiles used by the militias and their sponsors from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In the current situation.
Iranian-backed militias have launched at least 168 attacks on US forces in Iraq, Syria and Jordan since October 17. These attacks, according to data provided by the Pentagon, led to the death of 3 American service members and the wounding of two very seriously. Nine were injured, and 132 others suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
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