Iraq issued a scathing rebuke of a recent U.S. drone strike on its soil, condemning it as "a blatant assassination" that disregarded civilian lives and international laws. The strike, purportedly targeting a leader of an Iranian-backed militant group, has ignited tensions between Iraq and the U.S.-led coalition operating in the region.

Yehia Rasool, spokesperson for the Iraqi Prime Minister, denounced the attack, stating that it underscored the coalition's departure from its stated objectives in Iraq. Rasool emphasized that the strike further destabilized the region and threatened to embroil Iraq in further conflict.

In response to the Iraqi condemnation, U.S. Central Command defended the strike, asserting that it targeted a commander of the militant group Kataib Hezbollah responsible for orchestrating attacks against U.S. forces in the region. The identified commander, Wisam Mohammad al-Saedi, was allegedly killed in the operation.

The strike comes amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iranian-backed militias, following a series of drone, rocket, and missile attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East. The recent attack in Jordan, which resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members, prompted a retaliatory wave of U.S. airstrikes targeting militia-associated facilities in Iraq and Syria.

While the U.S. has justified its actions as necessary responses to threats against its personnel, Iraqi officials have expressed growing discontent, accusing the U.S. of hitting elements of Iraq's own security forces in the strikes. The Iraqi government summoned the U.S. chargé d'affaires in Baghdad to protest the attacks.

Amidst these developments, the Pentagon has indicated that there are no plans for a prolonged military campaign against the militias in Iraq and Syria. However, the U.S. maintains approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi security forces in their counter-terrorism efforts against remnants of the Islamic State.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Iraq to reduce the American military presence and transition towards a traditional military-to-military relationship have been complicated by the recent spate of attacks. Despite ongoing talks, the situation remains volatile, with both sides grappling to find a resolution amidst heightened tensions in the region.