The primarily Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces, PMF, have officially blamed Israel and the United States for a series of devastating explosions that destroyed a number of their paramilitary installations, all of which stored a significant amount of military equipment, and – among others – housed weapons caches of precision-guided-missiles.
According to the written accusation, the United States allowed four Israeli drones to enter the region, accompanying U.S. forces, for the purpose of carrying out missions on Iraqi soil. As such, the PMF vowed to defend itself against any attacks on its bases, including by means of “advanced weaponry.”
It is important to note that the allegations by the PMF were made despite the fact that there have been no claims of responsibility for the attack. Nevertheless, as was reported on TV7 Israel News last night; informed sources in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv confirmed to TV7 that Israeli units were indeed involved in clandestine operations against Iranian targets in Iraq. One of the sources also noted that “all of the Israeli operations are conducted in full-coordination with the United States.”
The U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for Washington’s Military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, brushed off the PMF accusations, while underscoring in a written statement to TV7 that it “operate(s) in Iraq at the invitation of the Government of Iraq and comply with their laws and direction.”
CENTCOM’s Spokespersons Unit further noted that “there have not been any … injuries reported to U.S. personnel due to the explosion at al-Balad Air Base, in Iraq – which is situated near some of the PMF installations.
It bears mention that the Popular Mobilization Forces – or Hashd al-Shaab in Arabic – is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization that is composed, predominantly, of Shi’ite militias that receive most of their training, logistical support and operational directives from Iran and its Lebanese-proxy Hezbollah, including the commander of the elite ‘Quds Force’ of the ‘Islamic Revolutionary Guards,’ General Qassem Suleimani.