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.



US Navy Destroys Houthi Missiles and Drones Targeting American Ships in Gulf of Aden

This is a locator map of Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)
This is a locator map of Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)
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US Navy Destroys Houthi Missiles and Drones Targeting American Ships in Gulf of Aden

This is a locator map of Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)
This is a locator map of Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)

US Navy destroyers shot down seven missiles and drones fired by Yemen’s Houthi group at the warships and three American merchant vessels they were escorting through the Gulf of Aden. No damage or injuries were reported.
US Central Command said late Sunday that the destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane shot down and destroyed three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones and one anti-ship cruise missile. The merchant ships were not identified, reported The Associated Press.
The Houthis claimed the attack in a statement and said they had targeted the US destroyers and "three supply ships belonging to the American army in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.”
Houthi attacks for months have targeted shipping through a waterway where $1 trillion in goods pass annually over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon. A ceasefire was announced last week.
The USS Stockdale was involved in a similar attack on Nov. 12.