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U.S.: Israeli airstrikes in Iraq complicated anti-ISIS mission

The report says that it relied on open source “press reports” which stated “that as many as four airstrikes targeted PMU positions.” This drew rebuke from Iraqi members of parliament, “some of whom called for the removal of US forces from Iraq.” Iraq imposed air restrictions in response. The US says that these restrictions “hurt the Coalition’s ability to counter the ISIS threat in Iraq.” That included impacting Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The State Department was apparently non-plussed. The US embassy tried to get the Iraqis to reduce the air restrictions they put in place. The US was concerned about increasing calls for US forces to leave.

Central Command also noted increased threat against US forces from Iranian-aligned groups in Iraq, writing that “Iranian-backed militias may view the US as complicit in the Israeli strikes, which targeted Iraqi militia bases allegedly housing Iranian weapons.” The Iranian allied groups might respond also to US sanctions. PMU deputy Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a designated terrorist who runs Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, suggested that the PMU needs an air force and blamed the US and Israel.