Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1350 EAT on Wednesday 25 March 2026

An aerial attack on a military base in western Iraq’s Anbar province killed seven fighters and wounded 13, the country’s Ministry of Defence said.

The strikes on Wednesday targeted the military healthcare clinic at the base in Habbaniyah, prompting the ministry to condemn the attack as “a heinous crime” that violated “all international laws and norms.”

An Iraqi police source told Al Jazeera that the recent airstrike targeted positions of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a paramilitary group that includes some Iran-aligned brigades and reportedly shares the base with Iraq’s regular army.

“What we understand from the military here is that airstrikes were carried out and then further strikes hit the same position,” said Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig, reporting from Baghdad. He added that it appeared to be the first time the PMF was hit alongside Iraq’s regular forces.

Iraq has strongly condemned the attack amid rising tensions linked to the United States-Israel conflict with Iran. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s office announced that Baghdad would summon the Iranian and US ambassadors over the recent strikes.

A security official, quoted by AFP, said Wednesday’s strike occurred at the same base that had been targeted the day before.

Tuesday’s attack, which the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) blamed on the United States, was the deadliest in Iraq since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28. It killed 15 fighters, including a commander.

In response, Iraq’s government granted the PMF the “right to respond” to any attacks against it, a position Baghdad reaffirmed on Wednesday.

Since the conflict began, pro-Iran armed groups have claimed responsibility for attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region. In turn, strikes have targeted these groups, including positions linked to the Iraqi government.

The US Department of Defense has confirmed that combat helicopters have carried out strikes against pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq during the ongoing conflict.

Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig said the latest attacks signal “an escalation in terms of the PMF being targeted.”

“Increasingly, Iraq is becoming a battlefield between Iraqi armed factions and the United States,” he added.

-Aljazeera

Invest or Donate towards HICGI New Agency Global Media Establishment – Watch video here

Email: editorial@hicginewsagency.com TalkBusiness@hicginewsagency.com WhatsApp +256713137566

Follow us on all social media, type “HICGI News Agency” .