Airstrikes Kill Two PMF Fighters in Northern Iraq as Regional Conflict Intensifies

Two fighters from Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) were killed in northern Iraq following airstrikes early Thursday, the paramilitary group announced. These attacks occur as the broader conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, and come hours after a significant conditional suspension of attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad was declared by the pro-Iranian armed group Kataib Hezbollah.

Deadly Airstrikes Target PMF Positions

The PMF reported that two separate attacks targeted their positions early Thursday in the Nineveh region, which includes Mosul city, and a military airport in Salah al-Din province. The group, a predominantly Shia entity integrated into Iraq's security apparatus and comprising several Iran-aligned factions, explicitly attributed these strikes to Israel and the United States.

These incidents highlight Iraq's deepening involvement in the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, now in its third week. The PMF was initially formed in 2014 as a volunteer force to support Iraqi security forces against ISIL (ISIS).

Separate Drone Incident at Southern Iraqi Naval Base

In a related development, a fire erupted at the Umm Qasr naval base in southern Iraq overnight after being struck by a drone. An Iraqi security source confirmed to Al Jazeera that a drone crashed into a water treatment station at the base, situated near the border with Kuwait. Social media footage, verified by Al Jazeera, depicted flames and smoke rising from the affected site.

Conditional Halt to US Embassy Attacks Announced

Hours prior to the airstrikes on PMF fighters, the pro-Iranian armed group Kataib Hezbollah declared a conditional five-day suspension of operations targeting the US embassy in Baghdad. Designated a "terrorist organization" by Washington, Kataib Hezbollah specified conditions for this truce, including an immediate halt to Israeli bombardments of Beirut's southern suburbs and a commitment to cease bombing residential areas in Baghdad and other Iraqi provinces.

The group issued a stern warning that any violation of this truce would provoke an immediate response, and indicated that strikes could resume after the five-day period. The US embassy, located within Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, has been subjected to multiple drone and rocket attacks recently, with most projectiles intercepted by air defences. A US diplomatic and logistics center at Baghdad International Airport, which houses military personnel, has also been a regular target.

Key Takeaways

  • Two fighters from Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) were killed in airstrikes in northern Iraq.
  • The PMF has blamed the United States and Israel for the attacks, indicating Iraq's growing entanglement in the regional conflict.
  • A separate drone incident caused a fire at the Umm Qasr naval base in southern Iraq.
  • Pro-Iranian group Kataib Hezbollah announced a five-day conditional suspension of attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad, with demands including a halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
  • The US embassy and military installations in Iraq have been frequent targets of attacks prior to this conditional truce.
The recent strikes underscore the volatile and interconnected nature of the ongoing Middle East conflict. The timing, coming shortly after Kataib Hezbollah's conditional truce offer, highlights the complex web of alliances and retaliatory actions that define the current geopolitical landscape, drawing Iraq deeper into the wider regional hostilities.