THE chief of Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah tonight announced a halt to the militia’s attacks on US assets inside both Syria and Iraq.
The decision follows the killing of three US troops in a drone ambush near the Jordan-Syria border – an attack that the Pentagon said bore the “footprints” of the Iraq-based terror group.
AFPThe Iraq-based Kata’ib Hezbollah Brigades have called off attacks on US bases and troops in Iraq and Syria[/caption]
APTheir striking decision came soon after reports President Biden was plotting his revenge[/caption]
The Pentagon was reportedly planning aerial attacks on the Iran-backed militia responsible for the killing three US squaddies
Kata’ib Hezbollah Brigades Secretary-General al-Hamidawi announced the immediate “suspension” of military operations against the US.
He said in a statement: “As we announce the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces – in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government – we will continue to defend our people in Gaza in other ways.”
The Hezbollah Brigades are a group affiliated with the Hashed al-Shaabi, an alliance of Iran-backed former paramilitary groups now integrated in Iraq’s regular armed forces.
The US has 45,000 military personnel currently stationed in the Middle East.
The striking announcement followed reports President Joe Biden was considering blitzing targets belonging to the Iran-backed group as he plots a revenge strike for the ambush on the US base that killed three.
Sgt William Rivers, 46, Specialist Kennedy Sanders, 24, and Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, were killed in the unprecedented attack on the Tower 22 base in Jordan that injured another 34.
The strike marked the first US deaths by enemy fire since the start of the Israel-Hamas war – a major escalation in the crisis taking hold across the region.
On Monday, Biden held private meetings with his national security team to discuss the “unacceptable” attack – and officials said they are preparing to hit back with force.
White House national security spokesman, John Kirby, vowed that a “very consequential response” would be carried out.
He ruled out the possibility of directly attacking Iran, stating the US would not “escalate” the conflict. However, he said: “We will absolutely do what is required to protect ourselves.”
According to Politico, options include attacking Iranian personnel in Syria or Iraq, or Iranian naval assets in the Persian Gulf.
Who are Kata’ib Hezbollah?
KATA’IB Hezbollah is a radical Shiite paramilitary group based in southern Iraq.
Also known as the Hezbollah Brigades, the group was founded in 2007 and has close ties with Hezbollah and Iran’s terrorist army, the Islamist Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The group is also affiliated with the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Force), an alliance of Iran-backed former paramilitary groups now integrated into Iraq’s regular armed forces.
With up to 10,000 members, the group has been responsible for attacks on US targets in Iraq and Syria killing hundreds of soldiers.
Its leader Ahmad al-Hamidawi, was named a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in February 2020.
The Pentagon believes that a drone strike on a US base near the Syria-Jordan border on January 27 that killed three personnel bore the ‘footprints’ of the group.
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