Regional unrest: US-Iran dynamics escalate with targeted strike in Baghdad

Report by Ahmad Abdallah, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi
In Gaza, tensions flared, echoing across the region, particularly in Iraq, following a targeted strike that sent a strong message from the United States to Iran through one of its proxies in Baghdad, specifically the Iraqi Kata'ib Hezbollah.

The strike assassinated prominent leader Abu Baqir al-Saadi, responsible for the military affairs in Syria, who the Pentagon held accountable for the attack on its forces in Jordan last month.

Will the Kata'ib Hezbollah return to active battlefields considering the magnitude of this strike, or will they adhere to the defensive stance they adopted when they announced a halt to attacks against Americans last month?

However, the US strikes continued despite the Iraqi government's engagement in calming efforts.

The commitment to halt military operations against US forces by prominent factions like the Kata'ib Hezbollah came as a response to not embarrass Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani's government.

This comes even as the Iraqi government finds itself in an awkward position, considering Wednesday's operation undermines agreements with Washington. It went further to describe the assassination as a "clear aggression" threatening the country's stability and potentially leading to the termination of the international coalition led by Washington against ISIS.

The government's response was met with strong reactions from other Iran-aligned factions, notably the Al-Nujaba Movement, declaring that retaliation for al-Saadi's assassination would be strategic and would not go unanswered.  

Meanwhile, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq urged Iraqi authorities to submit a formal request to the Security Council calling for the immediate withdrawal of foreign forces from the country.

Thus, the confrontation between Washington and its allies on one side and Iran and its proxies on the other appears poised for potential escalation unless the flames of Gaza, the heart of the current conflict, are extinguished.