A U.S. drone strike killed multiple Iranian-backed terrorist leaders on Wednesday night in Baghdad, Iraq, according to initial reports.
The strike comes after the Biden administration was widely criticized last week for repeatedly telegraphing its plans to hit certain targets in Iraq and Syria in response to Iranian-backed terrorists killing three U.S. soldiers and wounding dozens more in a suicide drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan.
“U.S. drone struck [an] SUV driving through Baghdad with a hellfire missile killing three in the car,” said Hussain Abdul-Hussain, Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD).
“Of them, two leaders from the Iran loyalist Iraq militia Kataeb Hezbollah (Abu Baqer Al-Saidi and Arkan Al-Aliyawi).”
“At least one is believed to be responsible for the militia’s operations in Syria, from where the militia launched an explosive drone that hit a U.S. base in Jordan and killed three U.S. troops,” Abdul-Hussain added. “America’s long arm of justice.”
A source told Agence France Presse (AFP) that a drone “fired three rockets at a 4X4 car”.
A U.S. official confirmed to VOA News that the U.S. was behind the strike on the high-value target.
Local Arabic-speaking media said that the third person killed in the vehicle was Abu Tahseen Al-Hamidawi from the Al-Nujaba Movement, another terrorist group backed by Iran.
#عاجل – طائرة مسيرة مجهولة تستهدف بالصواريخ “سيارة” في منطقة المشتل شرقي #بغداد pic.twitter.com/20mgAKqdyj
— شبكة الصحافة العراقية +INP (@INPPLUSarabi) February 7, 2024
Iraqi media reporting a drone strike on a vehicle in Baghdad. pic.twitter.com/jtped4UTAp
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) February 7, 2024
The fire that engulfed a vehicle targeted by a drone strike in Baghdad has been extinguished. pic.twitter.com/VnrmaMAzeF
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) February 7, 2024
This was a highly sophisticated assassination which took place in a busy neighborhood during the evening rush time in Baghdad, the commanders are high level Kataib Hezbollah (Drones, logistics and intelligence) pic.twitter.com/m8xCG8fzCZ
— Steven Nabil (@thestevennabil) February 7, 2024
WELL HELL THAT WILL MAKE IRAN BACK OFF OR COME AHEAD FULL STEAM
It was probably an American in that vehicle or innocent people. BIDEN IS THE ENEMY WITHIN HE HAS TO BE STOPPED!!! OBAMA IS BEHIND IT ALL HE NEEDS A PERMANENT DIRTNAP!!
Good hit US. Need to to more hits til it hurts.
Just another day in Baghdad!