Iraq caught in Middle East war as pro-Iran group suspends US embassy attacks
Air strikes in northern Iraq have killed two fighters from the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), the paramilitary group said Thursday, marking the latest escalation in the Middle East war involving Iran, Israel, and the US.
The attacks targeted PMF positions in Nineveh, near Mosul, and a military airport in Salah al-Din province, according to the group, which includes Iran-aligned militias within Iraq’s security forces. The PMF blamed the strikes on Israel and the United States, highlighting Iraq’s growing entanglement in the third week of the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
Separately, a drone strike hit the Umm Qasr naval base in southern Iraq near the Kuwait border, causing a fire at a water treatment station. Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed flames and smoke rising from the site, though no casualties were reported.
Earlier Thursday, Kataib Hezbollah, a pro-Iran armed group designated as a terrorist organization by the US, announced a five-day suspension of attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad. The temporary truce comes with conditions, including Israel halting strikes in Beirut suburbs and avoiding bombardment of residential areas in Baghdad.
The group warned that if the truce is violated, “the response will be immediate,” signaling potential future attacks. The US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone and a US military facility at Baghdad International Airport have been repeatedly targeted by drones and rockets in recent days, with air defenses intercepting most projectiles.
The unfolding events underscore Iraq’s vulnerable position in the regional conflict and the persistent threat to US and allied personnel in the country.
Source: Al Jazeera