US strike kills pro-Iran commander in Baghdad

Baghdad: An American air strike in Iraq on Wednesday killed a senior commander from a pro-Iran armed group who was involved in attacks on Washington's troops in the region, the US military said.

Washington launched a wave of strikes on Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria last week following the killing of three American troops in neighbouring Jordan on January 28, and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the commander killed Wednesday was targeted "in response to the attacks on US service members."

The strike killed "a Kataeb Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region," according to CENTCOM, which said there are "no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties at this time."

"The United States will continue to take necessary action to protect our people. We will not hesitate to hold responsible all those who threaten our forces' safety," it added.

A member of Kataeb Hezbollah - which announced it was suspending violence against US forces after the deadly Jordan attack - confirmed a commander who was responsible for the "military file" in Syria had been killed, identifying him as Abu Baqr Al Saadi.

The Hashed Al Shaabi, a coalition of mainly pro-Iran paramilitaries now integrated into Iraq's regular security forces, also confirmed Saadi's death in a statement.

An interior ministry official said a total of three people - two Kataeb Hezbollah leaders and their driver - died in the strike, which was carried out by a drone in the east Baghdad neighbourhood of Machtal.