Iraq summons US, Iran envoys after deadly strikes

BAGHDAD,— Iraq said late Tuesday it will summon the US charge d’affaires and the Iranian ambassador after deadly strikes it blamed on both countries.

Authorities also gave selected former paramilitary groups the right to respond to attacks.

The move comes as Iraq faces growing pressure from a regional conflict triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026. The confrontation has since spread across several areas in the Middle East, drawing Iraq into rising tensions.

The Shiite Hashed al-Shaabi, a former paramilitary coalition that is now part of Iraq’s official armed forces, said the United States carried out the deadliest strike so far on Iraqi soil.

The attack killed one commander and 14 fighters. The group includes brigades linked to Iran-backed factions.

In the Kurdistan region, a separate missile strike killed six members of the peshmerga forces. Kurdish officials said Iran was responsible for the attack, describing it as the first deadly strike on Kurdish security forces since the conflict began.

Iraq’s foreign ministry said it would summon both envoys to deliver formal protest notes over the incidents.

The government stressed the need to maintain balanced ties with international and regional partners. It said such balance is necessary to prevent Iraq from being pulled deeper into conflict zones.

Iraq has long stood between the United States and Iran, both of which hold influence in the country. Iraqi leaders have tried to manage relations with both sides while avoiding escalation.

Since the start of the conflict, armed groups aligned with Iran have claimed attacks on US targets in Iraq and elsewhere in the region. At the same time, strikes have hit these groups, including positions tied to the state.

A statement from the prime minister’s office said former paramilitary groups within the armed forces were authorized to respond to attacks carried out by drones or aircraft against their bases.

Late Tuesday, the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite political parties that supports the government, endorsed the decision. The alliance includes factions with varying ties to Iran.

The coalition also condemned attacks on state institutions and diplomatic missions. It called for those responsible to face punishment and said the government alone has authority over decisions of war.

The Hashed al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces, said the strike in Anbar province targeted its operational headquarters. It said a senior provincial commander was among those killed.

The group described the strike as an American attack and urged authorities to take action against what it called repeated violations.

The overnight strike hit a base in western Anbar, near the Syrian border. The area has long been used for operations against the Islamic State group.

Baghdad has repeatedly criticized attacks on the Hashed al-Shaabi since the conflict began. The force was established in 2014 to fight Islamic State militants.

After the defeat of the group in Iraq in 2017, the coalition gained influence within the country’s security structure. Its factions also entered politics and secured seats in parliament, along with economic interests.

Last week, the Pentagon confirmed that US combat helicopters had struck pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq during the ongoing conflict.

Residents in Baghdad reported hearing fighter jets flying over the capital late Tuesday.

Earlier, the Popular Mobilisation Forces said another strike targeted their office in Mosul. A security official said the location also served as a residence for coalition leader Faleh al-Fayyad, who was not present at the time.

In the north, Kurdish authorities said six Iranian ballistic missiles struck Barzani peshmerga forces, killing six militants and wounding 30 others. They described the attack as hostile.

Kurdish officials have maintained close ties with Washington but have sought to remain neutral in the conflict with Iran. Relations between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran had improved in recent years.

(With files from AFP)