Iraq warns of regional conflict if Gaza war continues
Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli bombardment against Gaza. Photo: Reuters
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Advisor for Foreign Affairs, Farhad Aladdin, said that a regional crisis might arise if the current four-day truce between Hamas and Israel is not extended.
Negotiators aimed to prolong the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which was in place for four days, according to Reuters.
Iran-aligned militias in the region, such as Lebanese Hezbollah and various Iraqi factions, have conducted almost daily attacks against Israeli and US forces in retaliation to Israel’s deadly bombardment of Gaza in response to Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
However, since Israel and Hamas started a four-day truce last week that was scheduled to end on Monday, there have been no reports of assaults on US troops in Iraq or Syria, as opposed to over 70 in the previous weeks.
Armed groups announced that they will respect the Gaza truce, but they will restart attacks if the truce is broken.
Aladdin clarified that there is a terrible battle growing in the region that might affect everyone, but it is unknown how far it would go or how to contain and end it.
Eight people were killed in the early hours of Wednesday after PMF sites in Babylon governorate southwest of Baghdad were targeted by air strikes carried out by US forces.
US Central Command forces carried out separate and precise strikes on two facilities in Iraq, according to a statement released by the US Army.
The US Army added that the strikes were a direct response to attacks on American and coalition forces by Iran and groups supported by Tehran.
The Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary, Sabrina Singh, said in a press briefing that US forces in Syria and Iraq have been targeted in 55 attacks since October 17.
“There have been 27 attacks against US forces in Iraq and 28 attacks in Syria,” Singh explained.
Singh illustrated that 59 US personnel have received injuries since these attacks began.
The increase in attacks on US forces is linked to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which began after the Palestinian movement carried out a surprise cross-border attack from Gaza on October 7, which, according to the Israeli authorities, killed about 1,400 people.
Following the attack, the United States rushed to provide military support to Israel, which has since launched a relentless air, land, and sea assault on Hamas-controlled Gaza.