Nine Iraqi soldiers killed and dozens wounded in airstrikes near Baghdad

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – An Iranian media network has said nine Iraqi army soldiers were killed and dozens were wounded in airstrikes near Baghdad, Iraq on Monday night, Israel National News (INN) reports. Citing an Iraqi security source, the Al-Alam network said the strikes had targeted Iraqi army and Shiite militia positions.

According to the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese network Al-Mayadeen, the strikes were carried out on targets around the town of Jurf Sakhar, southwest of Baghdad. The Iraqi army has not confirmed the attack, however.

INN notes that there has been an uptick in tensions against the US presence in Iraq recently, especially since the US killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January last year. In addition to attacks on the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, the US Embassy itself was subject to a rocket attack in December.

Blaming the Iranian regime for the embassy attack, US President Donald Trump tweeted: “Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over.”

Nevertheless, while the US has flown nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Middle East in recent weeks, a senior US defense official told Fox News no US airstrikes were carried out near Baghdad, INN said.

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