The U.S. airstrike hit near a military headquarters in Baghdad, according to Iraqi officials, killing al-Said and one other official in the nation’s capital.
Iraqi government officials slammed the U.S. for escalating tensions in their country.
“We consider this targeting a dangerous escalation and assault on Iraq,” said Iraqi commander-in-chief spokesperson Yahya Rasoul.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. took “appropriate” measures to safeguard security in the region. Ryder added Washington seeks to maintain good ties with Iraq.
“This is an important partner to us,” he said. “And we’ll continue to lean into that relationship.”
The U.S. has some 2,500 troops in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to help fight against terrorist groups, including ISIS.
But the Iraqi government is also closely aligned with Iranian-backed groups, including HHN, part of a network of militia groups under the Popular Mobilization Forces.
Iranian-backed groups have attacked the U.S. more than 100 times in Iraq and Syria since late October, not long after the Israel-Hamas war broke out.
Tensions have also broiled in the Red Sea, where the Iranian-backed Houthis have targeted merchant ships and U.S. boats 25 times.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
