An explosion took place at the Calso military base in Iraq late on Friday night targeting a facility housing pro-Iranian paramilitaries. The base located approximately 50 kilometers south of Baghdad in the province of Babil serves as a headquarters for the Iran-aligned Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a Shiite paramilitary group integrated into regular army.
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The blast resulted in one fatality and left at least eight individuals wounded including members of the Iraq military.
The explosion occurred at the Kalsu military base situated approximately 50km south of Baghdad in the province of Babil. The base is utilized by the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) an Iran-aligned group in Iraq.
One individual has been confirmed dead, while eight others sustained injuries in the blast. The PMF attributed the attack to American aggression claiming that the Kalsu base was bombed by the United States. Both the Iraqi military and the United States military denied involvement in the incident.
The government announced its intention to investigate the explosion with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani currently in the US.
The Kalsu military base near Iskandariya, houses federal police and military forces. It was previously under US control during the US-led invasion of Iraq but was handed over to the Defence Ministry in 2011. The base contains an ammunition depot and warehouses for military equipment.
The lack of official confirmation, suspicions point towards Israel as the perpetrator of the attack. No comment has been provided by the Israeli military regarding these allegations.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq an umbrella group of Iraqi armed forces opposed to the US and Israel claimed responsibility for launching a retaliatory strike targeting a vital target in the Israeli port city of Eilat.
Palestinian armed group Hamas condemned the attack on the base addressing it as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Rich Outzen, a fellow at the Atlantic Council, suggested that the nature of the attack aligns more with Israel’s strategies rather than US actions.
The explosion follows reports of explosions near Isfahan which prompted to deploy its air defence systems. Both Iran and Israel have downplayed these incidents but tensions remain high.
The tensions is part of a longer history of conflict between Israel, Iran, and their respective allies. Ongoing hostilities in Gaza and retaliatory actions between the two nations contribute to the volatile situation.
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The PMF pointed fingers at the United States, accusing American forces of launching airstrikes on the Kalsu military base.
The military refuted claims of drone or fighter jet activity in the area during the time of the explosion casting doubt on the PMF’s allegations.
Israeli and US officials denied involvement in the attack, addressing that their forces had not conducted any airstrikes in the country.
This came amidst suspicions regarding Israel’s role in strikes targeting Iran-linked sites including a reported attack near the airport in Isfahan province.
The Calso base formerly associated with the US military during the invasion of Iraq has since been under the jurisdiction of the Defence Ministry.
Its historical ties to American forces the facility has become a point for tensions between Iran-aligned groups and their adversaries particularly amid ongoing conflicts in the region.
While the exact cause of the blast remains under investigation, speculation abounds regarding the possibility of an airstrike, though no conclusive evidence has emerged thus far.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq an umbrella group of armed forces opposed to US and Israeli presence in the region, claimed responsibility for launching a retaliatory strike.
A video released by the group purportedly showed a drone being deployed towards a vital target in the Israeli port city of Eilat.
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