An Iraqi militant faction, supported by Iran, has declared the cessation of all its military maneuvers against American forces in the vicinity subsequent to a drone assault in Jordan that claimed the lives of three U.S. soldiers on the day of the Sabbath.

 

The group, known as Kataib Hezbollah, justified this action as a measure to avert potential humiliation for the Iraqi administration, as detailed in a communiqué relayed by the news agency Reuters.

 

Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kataib Hezbollah, articulated in the statement, “In our pronouncement of the halt to military and security operations against the occupying forces – with the aim of forestalling any disgrace to the Iraqi authorities – we shall persist in safeguarding our populace in Gaza through alternate means.”

 

The lethal drone strike near the Jordan-Syria border on the aforementioned day, resulting in the fatalities of three U.S. military personnel, was ascribed by the Pentagon to the “characteristics” indicative of Kataib Hezbollah’s involvement, albeit a conclusive evaluation had yet to be reached.

 

Established in the wake of the 2003 U.S.-led incursion into Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah stands as one of the preeminent Iraqi militant factions with close ties to Iran, according to accounts from Reuters.

It holds sway as the most formidable militant faction within the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of staunch Shi’ite militant groups responsible for over 150 assaults on U.S. forces since the onset of the Gaza conflict early in October.

Farhad Alaadin, an advisor on foreign affairs for Iraq, remarked that the decision by Kataib Hezbollah ensued following extensive diplomatic efforts by Iraq’s Prime Minister to avert further escalations post the Jordan incident, as reported by Reuters.

“Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has been diligently engaged over the past few days, liaising with all pertinent stakeholders within and beyond the borders of Iraq,” Alaadin elucidated in an interview. “It is imperative for all parties to lend their support to the Prime Minister’s endeavors aimed at preempting any potential escalations,” he added.

 

Kataib Hezbollah, in its official statement, also cited discord with allies concerning its offensives, with Iran singled out in particular.

 

The faction noted that affiliates within the Axis of Resistance “often express reservations regarding the intensity and provocation directed at the American occupying forces in Iraq and Syria,” the statement read, as documented by Reuters.

 

Iran has rebuffed any involvement in the actions perpetrated by Iraqi factions.