At least two people were killed and several others wounded after airstrikes targeted an Iraqi military installation in Jurf al-Sakher — also known as Jurf al-Nasr — Iraqi authorities confirmed on Saturday.
The base, located south of Baghdad, is operated by the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a state-recognized security force formerly composed of paramilitary factions that were later integrated into Iraq’s armed forces. However, it is widely known to host fighters from Kata’ib Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-aligned faction.
A source within Kata’ib Hezbollah told AFP that two of its members were killed and five others wounded in what the group described as an act of “aggression” against the facility.
Iraq’s Security Media Cell said the strikes occurred at approximately 11:50 a.m. local time (0850 GMT), confirming two fatalities and three injuries. The PMF later acknowledged the attack and the casualties.
It remains unclear who carried out the airstrikes. A source within the PMF said there was no immediate confirmation as to whether the attack was conducted by US or Israeli forces.
The strike comes amid intensifying regional tensions following US and Israeli military action against Iran. US President Donald Trump recently vowed to “annihilate” Iran’s naval forces and missile infrastructure, dramatically escalating the rhetoric surrounding the conflict.
Kata’ib Hezbollah, which is blacklisted by Washington, operates several brigades within the PMF framework and is considered part of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance.” The group has a history of launching independent operations.
Just days before the strike, Kata’ib Hezbollah warned that any US-led war in the region would result in “immense losses” and urged its fighters to prepare for what it described as a potentially prolonged war of attrition.
With uncertainty surrounding the perpetrators and tensions running high, the attack on Jurf al-Nasr underscores the growing risk that Iraq could once again become a flashpoint in a widening regional confrontation.
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