Explosion damages military base in Iraq used by Iran-backed armed group

There was an air attack early Saturday on a base used by an Iran-backed armed group, Harakat al Nujaba, in Iraq’s Babylon province, according to an arm of Iraq’s security forces, the Popular Mobilization Forces.

The Popular Mobilization Forces are responsible for the brigade at the Kalsu military base, where the attack occurred.

A nearby hospital in Iskandariya said at least three people were wounded in the explosion.

There was no claim of responsibility for the strike. However, the US military, which has carried out strikes on Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq in the past, said in a statement released shortly after the attack that it had not participated in strikes on any locations in Iraq.

The explosion came a day after Israel attacked a military air base near the city of Isfahan in central Iran, according to two Israeli and three Iranian officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Friday’s attack appeared to be Israel’s first military response to Iran’s attack nearly a week ago.