Airstrike kills PMF commander, 14 fighters at Iraq base amid widening conflict

Baghdad— Airstrikes on a site belonging to Iraq’s Shi’ite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Anbar province killed at least 15 fighters, including a senior regional commander, and wounded 30 others early on Tuesday, according to security and health sources.

The PMF said in a statement that its Anbar operations commander, Saad al-Baiji, was among those killed when a strike hit a command headquarters during a security meeting attended by senior personnel.

The group accused the United States of carrying out the attack, saying the facility was targeted while fighters were on duty.Health officials said several of the wounded were in critical condition, indicating the death toll could rise.

Security sources told Reuters the airstrike targeted the PMF headquarters during a high-level coordination meeting, amplifying the impact of the attack. The extent of structural damage to the site was not immediately clear.

There was no immediate confirmation or comment from U.S. officials regarding the allegation.

The PMF, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, is a state-sanctioned umbrella organisation comprising predominantly Shi’ite paramilitary factions. It was formally integrated into Iraq’s security apparatus but includes several groups aligned with Iran.

The strike comes amid intensifying regional tensions following the outbreak of a U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in February. Tehran-backed armed groups have since launched repeated attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, raising concerns of a broader conflict.

Hostilities have spread beyond Iran’s borders, with Tehran carrying out strikes against Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military facilities, while Israel has conducted attacks in Lebanon following cross-border fire by Iran-aligned Hezbollah.