The United States has carried out a targeted strike in Baghdad, Iraq, targeting a militia leader, according to an official.
The strike was conducted on Sunday, April 4th, 2021, and targeted a leader of the Kata’ib Hezbollah militia, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Al-Muhandis was a prominent figure in the Iraqi militia and was a close ally of Iran.
The strike was conducted by the US military and was approved by President Joe Biden. It is believed to be in response to recent rocket attacks on US forces in Iraq.
The strike was conducted in the early hours of Sunday morning and targeted al-Muhandis’ vehicle as it was traveling in the al-Jadriyah neighborhood of Baghdad. Al-Muhandis and several other people were killed in the strike.
The US military has not yet released any official statement on the strike, but a US official has confirmed that it was carried out by the US military.
The strike has been met with condemnation from Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who called it a “flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty”. He also called for an investigation into the incident.
The strike has also been condemned by Iran, which has called it an “act of aggression”. Iran has vowed to take “appropriate measures” in response to the strike.
The strike has also been met with criticism from some US lawmakers, who have questioned the legality of the strike and the timing of it.
The strike is likely to further complicate US-Iraq relations, which have been strained in recent months due to the presence of US forces in Iraq. It is also likely to further increase tensions between the US and Iran, which have been escalating in recent weeks.
Only time will tell how this strike will affect US-Iraq relations and US-Iran relations, but it is clear that it has already had a significant impact.