Iraqi resistance targets two US aircraft, launches 37 operations on bases

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for downing a US KC-135 refueling aircraft and conducting 37 attacks on US bases in the region over the past 24 hours.

According to the resistance's statement, its fighters intercepted and struck a US KC-135 refueling aircraft over western Iraq, forcing it to crash.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the incident, acknowledging that a KC-135 had crashed but insisted that it was not caused by enemy or friendly fire.

The statement from CENTCOM described the attack as part of a broader US operation against Iran, though it did not provide further details on the circumstances.

The second aircraft, also reportedly targeted by the Islamic Resistance, sustained damage but was able to make an emergency landing at a location under US control.

The crew was able to escape the scene unharmed. The group did not provide additional details about the specific weapons used or the location of the attacks, but their statements emphasized the successful execution of the operations against US military assets.

The Islamic Resistance also reported carrying out 37 separate attacks against US bases in the region in the past 24 hours, 31 of which involved drone and missile strikes. The remaining six operations were described as "special and unique”.

The developments come amid escalating US and Israeli military aggression in the region.

On Thursday, a French soldier was killed, and six others were injured in a drone strike on a joint French-Peshmerga base in northern Iraq.

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the death of a warrant officer, describing the attack as part of the broader conflict in the region, where French forces have been deployed since 2015.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has strongly condemned the involvement of European countries in the US-led war of terrorism against Iran and warned that any such participation would make them targets for retaliation.

The group stated that “Any country that participates in this war is considered an enemy of our nations and sanctities,” and vowed to target their forces and interests in Iraq and the broader region.

The statement was a direct warning to European allies of the US that their involvement would lead to increased attacks on their personnel and assets in the region.

The group also issued a broader call for operations against US and Israeli forces, with Iraqi cleric Ayatollah Jawad al-Khalisi urging followers to take up arms in support of the resistance against foreign forces.

Al-Khalisi, a prominent figure in Iraq's Shia community, issued the call earlier in the week, stating that those killed in such actions would be considered martyrs.

The Islamic Resistance stated that 291 military operations have been carried out against US and allied forces over the past 12 days, resulting in the deaths of 13 American soldiers and the wounding of dozens more.

While CENTCOM has not confirmed these figures, it has acknowledged that attacks on US forces in Iraq and surrounding areas have been escalating.

The regional volatility has been exacerbated by the broader US-Israel aggression, with the Islamic Resistance warning of the wider geopolitical consequences.

Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, in a recent statement, condemned the US-Israeli aggression and cautioned that Europe, particularly France, would face negative fallout, including higher gasoline prices and the potential for a new refugee crisis.

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