The Iraqi government has reported that at least 16 individuals have lost their lives in US airstrikes in Iraq, denouncing the "new aggression against" its sovereignty and cautioning of severe repercussions in the region.
According to a government spokesperson on Saturday, civilians were among the casualties, with 25 individuals sustaining injuries in the bombings, which targeted both civilian and security areas.
The United States issued a warning of further retaliatory strikes following its targeting of resistance forces sites in Iraq and Syria overnight, in response to an attack that resulted in the death of American soldiers in Jordan amidst the Zionist regimes conflict in Gaza.
"This aggressive strike brings security in Iraq and the region to the brink of peril," stated the Iraqi government, refuting Washington's assertions of coordinating the air strikes with Baghdad as "false" and intended to mislead international public opinion.
A statement from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani's office highlighted that the presence of the US-led military coalition in the region has become a source of insecurity and instability in Iraq, justifying Iraq's entanglement in regional and international conflicts.
Consequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US charge d'affaires in Baghdad to formally lodge a protest.
Syrian state media reported multiple casualties following the attacks in the nation's desert region and border areas with Iraq. The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights indicated that at least 23 fighters aligned with the resistance forces were killed in the attacks in Syria, although this information could not be independently confirmed.
The strikes did not occur within Iranian territory. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled them as "another adventurous action and strategic error by the US government," predicting that they would only escalate instability in the region.
US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby informed journalists that the objective of the "multitiered" attacks was to prevent assaults by the resistance forces, emphasizing that the intention was not to instigate a conflict with Iran.
The Iranian ministry stated that regional tensions stem from "the Israeli regime's occupation and military actions in Gaza, as well as the Palestinian genocide with unreserved US backing." It emphasized that addressing "the root cause of the crisis" is essential for restoring stability to the region.
