Iraqi Militia Forces: If the U.S. Expands "Aggression Against Iran," We Will Directly Engage in War
Xinhua News Agency, Baghdad, July 20 (Reporter Li Jun) The Iraqi militia group "Islamic Resistance Organization" stated on the 20th that if the United States further escalates its "aggression against Iran," the organization will directly participate in combat against the United States and will resolutely strike all U.S. interests and military bases in Iraq and the Middle East.
The organization specifically clarified in the statement that it has not launched any military attacks on U.S. military bases in Iraq and the Middle East in the past few days.
The U.S. Central Command issued a statement on social media on the 19th, saying that a U.S. service member was killed on the 18th while carrying out a mission related to Iran in northern Iraq. The statement said that U.S. forces were conducting a controlled detonation of munitions carried by a downed Iranian one-way attack drone at the time, and that service member was killed during the mission, while another U.S. service member was lightly injured.
Since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict on February 28, the U.S. and Israel have repeatedly struck Iranian-backed Iraqi militia groups, while the Iraqi militia groups have continuously targeted U.S. diplomatic missions in Iraq and bases and facilities housing U.S. troops within Iraq.
The Islamic Resistance Organization announced it will directly combat U.S. forces if the U.S. escalates its aggression towards Iran. This statement follows the death of a U.S. service member during a mission in northern Iraq related to Iran. The organization clarified that it has not attacked U.S. bases in Iraq recently, despite ongoing tensions and previous strikes against U.S. interests in the region.
- The Islamic Resistance Organization will engage in combat against U.S. forces if U.S. aggression towards Iran escalates.
- No military attacks were conducted against U.S. bases in Iraq in recent days.
- A U.S. service member died during a mission related to Iran in northern Iraq on July 18, 2023.
- The U.S. Central Command reported the incident involving the U.S. service member.
- There have been multiple strikes by the U.S. against Iran-backed Iraqi militias since February 28, 2023.