Alhurra’s correspondent in Iraq reported Saturday that explosions were heard in areas where Iran-aligned Shiite armed factions are present in southern Iraq.
Citing a source in Iraq’s Interior Ministry, the correspondent said, “airstrikes targeted the Jurf al-Sakhar area, also known as Jurf al-Nasr, two hours after the Israeli attack on Iran began.”
The source added that the strikes targeted camps belonging to “Kataib Hezbollah,” which fully controls the area.
According to the source, three members of the group had been killed as of 12:13 p.m. Baghdad time.
The Jurf al-Sakhar, or “al-Nasr,” area is considered a main base for Kataib Hezbollah camps. No one has been allowed to enter the area over the past decade. The group is accused of establishing facilities there to develop missiles and drones with Iranian support.
The Popular Mobilization Forces commission said Saturday that airstrikes hit the Jurf al-Nasr area, north of Babil province — formerly called Jurf al-Sakhar — resulting in casualties.
An official statement issued by the commission said the area was hit at 11:50 a.m. by several airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to three others with varying degrees of severity.
The statement said that “the relevant authorities have begun taking the necessary measures to determine the circumstances of the incident and assess the resulting damage,” noting that field and security follow-up at the strike site was ongoing.
The Jurf al-Nasr area is considered a strategic location with a heavy presence of Kataib Hezbollah and has been subjected to similar strikes at previous times. As of now, no official comment has been issued by the central government in Baghdad regarding the strikes that targeted the group.
Alhurra’s correspondent also reported that the Iran-aligned “Harakat al-Nujaba” announced its readiness to engage in what it described as a “holy battle.”
Earlier, “Kataib Hezbollah” had announced its intention to soon begin attacking U.S. bases in the region.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
Mustafa Saadoon
Mustafa Saadoon is an Iraqi journalist who has worked for several international and Arab media organizations. He covers politics and human rights.
