The Iran-aligned Hashd al-Shaabi militia announced Wednesday afternoon that at least 20 of its fighters were killed and 32 others wounded in joint U.S.-Saudi airstrikes targeting its command centers across eight Iraqi provinces. The organization said the strikes hit headquarters in Baghdad, Wasit, Nineveh, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala, Diyala, and other areas, causing damage to buildings, vehicles, and military equipment. The figures are preliminary and may be updated as assessment committees continue their work, the group stated.
Hashd al-Shaabi itself confirmed Wednesday afternoon that 20 of its fighters were killed and 32 wounded in joint U.S.-Saudi airstrikes across eight Iraqi provinces, providing a detailed provincial breakdown. The statement, which describes the operation as a 'joint U.S.-Saudi' campaign targeting its official command centers, expands on earlier casualty tolls reported by the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) umbrella organization and initial reports of at least 10 dead.
The strikes began overnight Wednesday. At 05:22 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that the PMF said at least 20 fighters were killed and 32 wounded in seven provinces, with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirming the operation. That report followed initial reports at 03:25 Jerusalem of strikes and footage of the attacks. At 08:33 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that at least 10 fighters were killed on seven militia positions, based on militia sources. By 10:52 Jerusalem, additional reports of the joint airstrikes emerged. At 12:43 Jerusalem, families of Hashd al-Shaabi members killed in the strikes gathered at al-Hamdaniya Hospital in Mosul, chanting 'Death to America, Death to Al Saud,' as reported by security analyst Yair Goldblatt.
The strikes are part of an ongoing U.S.-Saudi campaign against Iranian-backed militia infrastructure in Iraq, following more than 30 drone attacks directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against Saudi energy infrastructure and U.S. assets over the previous 72 hours. As The Zioneer reported on July 3, Hashd al-Shaabi chief Falih al-Fayyad stated that 110 of the organization's command centers were attacked during the ongoing war with Iran. The escalation is part of a broader regional campaign; on July 9, Iran's Health Ministry reported 14 killed and 78 wounded in U.S. strikes across five provinces.
The casualty figures from Hashd al-Shaabi remain preliminary, and the organization has not released the identities of the dead. U.S. and Saudi officials have not independently confirmed the specific numbers or the locations hit. The militia's statement said the figures may be updated as assessment committees continue their work.
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