The United States carried out a drone strike in Baghdad on Wednesday night that killed at least one senior member of Kata'ib Hezbollah, U.S. Central Command confirmed.
TONIGHT: A U.S. drone strike targeted a car in Baghdad, killing three members of Kataib Hezbollah. A senior commander of the Iran-backed militia is among the dead.
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) February 7, 2024
Taking place around 9:30 p.m. local time, CENTCOM said the "unilateral strike" was a "response to the attacks on U.S. service members" of which there have been more than 160 since mid-October. The strike killed "a Kata'ib Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. forces in the region," CENTCOM reported.
Abu Baqir al-Saadi and Arkan Al Alaywi both High-Ranking Leaders within the Iranian-Backed Militia Group, Kata'ib Hezbollah have reportedly been Killed in an Assassination Airstrike, likely by a U.S. MQ-9 “Reaper” Drone, tonight on their Vehicle in Eastern Baghdad, Iraq. pic.twitter.com/gBOPrY3vys
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 7, 2024
The U.S. said there were "no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties" following the drone strike. "The United States will continue to take necessary action to protect our people," warned CENTCOM's comments. "We will not hesitate to hold responsible all those who threaten our forces' safety."
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Wednesday's U.S. drone strike comes as the Biden administration carries out a "multi-tier response" to the scores of attacks on U.S. troops that have wounded dozens of American service members and killed three in recent weeks. The first counterstrikes from the U.S. to the deadly January 28 attack on the Tower 22 complex in northern Jordan began hours after President Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin participated in the dignified transfer ceremony returning U.S. Army Sgts. Kennedy Sanders, William Rivers, and Breonna Moffett to the United States.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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