U.S. Conducts Defensive Strike Amid Rising Regional Tensions

The United States conducted a defensive strike in Iraq amid escalating regional tensions. The action follows an Israeli airstrike in Beirut that killed a senior Hezbollah commander. The incident coincides with reports of blasts at a base in Baghdad linked to Iran-aligned militias. No casualties were confirmed by U.S. officials.

The United States conducted a strike in Iraq on Tuesday in a defensive move, a U.S. official informed Reuters, as regional tensions heightened following an Israeli airstrike in Beirut that claimed the life of Hezbollah's senior commander.

The connection to earlier explosions at a Baghdad base for Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces remains unclear. These blasts, according to police and medical sources, resulted in four fatalities and three injuries.

Post-blasts, the Popular Mobilization Forces did not specify the responsible party. An anonymous U.S. official stated the strike was due to a threat to coalition forces in Iraq, without confirming any casualties.

Rockets were previously launched at Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase, which houses U.S.-led forces, but caused no damage or casualties, marking the first known U.S. action in Iraq since February.

Iraq, an uncommon ally to both the U.S. and Tehran housing 2,500 U.S. troops alongside Iran-backed militias, has seen increasing retaliatory attacks since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October.

(With inputs from agencies.)