Amid the heightening tensions in the Middle Eastern region, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards initiated a ballistic missile attack on Iraq on Monday, asserting that they had successfully destroyed an Israeli spy base located in the northern part of the country. On Tuesday, Iran claimed that these strikes were aimed at locations associated with “anti-Iran terror groups” in Iraq. The attacks have been condemned by Baghdad and the US. Significantly, after striking Iraq, Iran also targeted two bases in Pakistan, which it claimed to be linked to the terrorist group Jaish al-Adl. However, Pakistan rejected the claim, labeling it an “illegal act” that killed two children and injured three others.
Quoting a statement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an Iranian news portal, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) stated that the Iranian attacks have destroyed “a spy headquarters” and a “gathering of anti-Iranian terrorist groups” in Arbil. The attacks claimed four lives while wounding six others. A prominent businessman Peshraw Dizayee was among several civilians who were killed in the attacks.
The Iranian forces defended attacks on Iraq stating that the Israeli headquarters, which stands near the U.S. Consulate compound in the city of Irbil, had been instrumental in orchestrating espionage operations and planning terrorist activities. However, the irony here is that since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, it is Iran and its backed militant groups such as Hezbollah and Houthis, who have been terrorizing the world and maritime security by triggering fears of the regional war escalating into a full-fledged war.
Condemning the strikes as “blatant violations” of its sovereignty, Iraq recalled its ambassador from Tehran. The Israeli government has not given any statement on the destruction of its base located in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, the US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller condemned the attacks, terming them “reckless” and offered condolences to the families of those who were killed.
After Iraq and Syria, the Iranian missiles also targeted two bases of the Baluchi group, Jaish al Adl in Pakistan, hitting and destroying bases using missiles and drones. In respons e, Pakistan’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran and called the incident “completely unacceptable”.
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