PM Sudani: US Strikes on Iraqi Military Positions Will Lead to ‘Irresponsible Escalation’ 

 Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani looks on as he attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 18, 2024. (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani looks on as he attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 18, 2024. (Reuters)
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PM Sudani: US Strikes on Iraqi Military Positions Will Lead to ‘Irresponsible Escalation’ 

 Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani looks on as he attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 18, 2024. (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani looks on as he attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, January 18, 2024. (Reuters)

Strikes by the United States on Iraqi military positions will lead to "irresponsible escalation" and violate the country's sovereignty, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office said in a statement on Wednesday.

The US carried out strikes against three facilities linked to Iran-backed militia on Tuesday, the Pentagon said.

Iraq will consider these operations as "aggressive actions" that undermine years of cooperation, the Iraqi government statement added.

"These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against US and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias," US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.

Kataib Hezbollah military spokesperson Jaafar al-Husseini said in a post on X that the group would continue to target "enemy bases" until the end of Israel's siege in Gaza and singled out US support for Israel's campaign.



Egypt Hosts Hamas in New Gaza Ceasefire Push, Looting Halts Aid

Egyptian workers are seen in front of the new headquarters of Egypt's parliament in the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo
Egyptian workers are seen in front of the new headquarters of Egypt's parliament in the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo
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Egypt Hosts Hamas in New Gaza Ceasefire Push, Looting Halts Aid

Egyptian workers are seen in front of the new headquarters of Egypt's parliament in the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo
Egyptian workers are seen in front of the new headquarters of Egypt's parliament in the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo

Hamas leaders held talks with Egyptian security officials on Sunday in a fresh push for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, two Hamas sources said, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to convene his security cabinet on the matter, two Israeli officials said.

The Hamas visit to Cairo was the first since the United States announced on Wednesday it would revive efforts in collaboration with Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza, that would include a hostage deal.

White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said he thought the chances of a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza were now more likely.

"(Hamas) are isolated. Hezbollah is no longer fighting with them, and their backers in Iran and elsewhere are preoccupied with other conflicts," he told CNN on Sunday, Reuters reported.

"So I think we may have a chance to make progress, but I'm not going to predict exactly when it will happen ... we've come so close so many times and not gotten across the finish line."

Palestinians say Israel's operations on the northern edge of the enclave are part of a plan to clear people out through forced evacuations and bombardments to create a buffer zone. The Israeli military strongly denies this and says it is fighting against Hamas.

The military says it has killed hundreds of Hamas militants in that part of Gaza as it fights to stop the faction regrouping. It has also lost around 30 soldiers there in combat with Hamas fighters over the past two months, a relatively high death toll.