A PRO-IRANIAN military base in Iraq was rocked by a huge explosion overnight in an alleged airstrike that killed one.
The blast at the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Force (PMF) HQ in Kalso, south of Baghdad, reportedly wounded eight more.
Footage of the explosion at the base
AFPThe Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) paramilitary holding up a picture of Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini[/caption]
ReutersA general view shows the Kalso military base south of Baghdad[/caption]
Smoke filled the sky after the alleged airstrike
The base is used by Iraq’s PMF, a security and military hybrid force made up of dozens of armed groups with ties to Iran.
It came just hours after the Israeli strike on another military base in Iran.
Two security sources said the explosion was caused by an airstrike but they did not know who was behind it.
US officials denied any involvement by the American military, who have been targeted by the PMF inside Iraq.
A statement from the militia group said: “The blast has caused material damage and injuries.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s office said that the explosion hit at around 1am, sparking a fire inside Camp Kalso.
It was home to the “the headquarters of the army, police, and security forces”, the statement read.
They confirmed one PMF member had died and eight others were injured, including a member of the Iraqi army.
The PMF, allied not only with Iran but also with its terror proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon, is openly anti-Israel.
Although it began as separate armed factions – most tied to Tehran – it was later recognised as an official security force in Iraq.
It is also involved in Iraq’s armed forces.
During the early hours of Friday morning Israel targeted an Iranian air base in the city of Isfahan.
The precision strike also hit just next door to one of Iran’s nuclear sites, sources told the Jerusalem Post.
And blasts were heard in Iraq and Syria in what appeared to be further hits on Iranian puppet terror groups across the Middle East.
Iran has a long arm of influence around the region via its proxy groups.
A huge backer of Hamas – it is widely believed to have been involved in Hamas’ massacre in Israel on October 7.
In the months following as war escalated between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip, PMF factions launched rocket and drone attacks on US forces in Iraq.
The explosion killed one and injured eight more