A drone strike on a Hashed al-Shaabi facility in Baghdad on Thursday sparked outrage and accusations of aggression from the Iraqi government and pro-Iranian factions.
While the official death toll is two, the Hashed claims its deputy commander was among the casualties and directly blames the US-led coalition for the attack.
The incident comes amidst heightened regional tensions following the recent Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza and a surge in attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria.
The Iraqi government, wary of escalating the situation, refrained from explicitly naming the US but condemned the strike as "a blatant aggression" and "a dangerous escalation."
The Hashed, an umbrella organization of former paramilitary groups now integrated into the Iraqi army, has close ties to Iran and is known for its vocal opposition to US influence in the region.
The group's statement accusing the US of the attack is likely to further inflame tensions and raise concerns about potential retaliation.
The US has yet to officially comment on the strike, although it has previously carried out airstrikes against Hashed facilities in response to attacks on its forces.
The coalition, led by the US, is responsible for training and assisting Iraqi security forces in their fight against remnants of the Islamic State group.
