A satellite photo of the US-operated al-Harir airbase in Iraq's Kurdistan region has emerged, revealing substantial damage inflicted by repeated aerial attacks from anti-US forces in the country. The image, released by online news magazine The Cradle, displays the destruction of two structures totaling 13,700 square feet (approximately 1,300 square meters), along with other damages. While the authenticity of the image could not be independently verified, the report, citing a high-level source in the resistance front, claims that 50 percent of the air base suffered strikes during operations from October 24 to December 2.
The Islamic resistance in Iraq, a coalition of anti-US groups, has targeted the Harir base with armed drones 12 times since October 7, coinciding with Israel's offensive on Gaza. The resistance attributes these attacks to retaliate against US support for what it terms the Israeli genocidal onslaught on Gaza, resulting in the death of nearly 19,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children. Besides the al-Harir base, the resistance has aimed at other US assets in Iraq, including the Ain al-Asad base in Al-Anbar province and the US embassy in Baghdad. Additionally, the resistance has targeted US-occupied bases in Syria, such as the Koniko base.
With thousands of soldiers stationed in Iraq and Syria under the pretext of an anti-terrorism campaign, the US faces ongoing resistance efforts by groups aiming to expel foreign forces from the region. The escalation of attacks commenced in early 2020 following the US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and Deputy PMF Commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis outside Baghdad. The recent surge in anti-US attacks aligns with Israel's military campaign against Gaza, prompting Iraqi resistance groups to vow continued retaliatory actions until Israel ceases its actions in the besieged Palestinian territory.
