At least one person has been killed and eight others injured after five explosions rocked a military base belonging to an Iran-backed militia in Iraq, according to security sources.
The explosion at the Calso headquarters on Friday night is where paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi, once known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, is stationed and integrated into the regular army.
A military official told Agence France-Presse the Baghdad attack killed one and wounded eight, while the source said three Iraqi army personnel were hurt.
Reuters news agency said two officials blamed the explosion in Babylon on an airstrike but could not say who was responsible.
In a statement, Hashed al-Shaabi said the attack had inflicted “material losses” and casualties, without specifying the number of wounded. The organisation said an “explosion” had hit its premises.
“The explosion hit equipment, weapons and vehicles,” said the ministry source.
Security sources would not identify who was responsible for the attack or say whether it had been a drone strike. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
On social media, the US military said its forces were not behind the reported strike.
America’s Central Command posted on X, formerly Twitter: “The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today.”
Hashed al-Shaabi, an alliance of mainly Shia armed groups formed to fight Islamic State, but is now a part of Iraq’s security forces. It is also variously known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, People’s Mobilization Committee or the Popular Mobilization Units.
Israel has long considered Iran to be its greatest enemy, citing the Islamic Republic’s calls for Israel’s destruction, its controversial nuclear programme and its support for hostile nation’s across the Middle East.
Tensions have risen since Hamas’s murderous October 7 assault on Israel.
While Israel and Iran have waged a shadow war for years, mostly in neighbouring Syria, they have largely avoided direct confrontations until an April 1 airstrike killed two Iranian generals at an Iranian diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital of Damascus.
Although Israel did not comment, Iran blamed it and vowed revenge.
