TEHRAN - A deadly explosion struck a military base in Iraq used by the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) which played a key role in defeating the Daesh terror group.

According to the Iraqi army, one person was killed and eight others injured in the blast at the Kalsu military base late on Friday which is located some 50km south of Baghdad in the province of Babil (Babylon).

Iraqi officials said a member of the army was among those injured in the base which also serves as a headquarters for the country’s military. 

Footage from the scene has shown a huge explosion a large crater and damage to infrastructure and vehicles.

The cause of the blast is still unknown.

On Saturday, Iraqi authorities said they were investigating the explosion. 

The Iraqi army said it had not detected any drones or fighter planes in the airspace of Babylon before or during the blast. 

However, on Saturday afternoon, the PMF described the blast as an “attack”. 

Earlier, the PMF had put the blame on the United States. 

 “American aggression bombed the Kalsu military base,” it said in a statement. 

The U.S. rejected reports that it was behind air strikes in Iraq.

“We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true. The United States has not conducted air strikes in Iraq today,” the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X. 

The U.S. has carried out frequent attacks against the positions of resistance groups in Iraq in the past. They demand a withdrawal of American military forces from the Arab nation. It remains unclear whether the U.S. was behind the incident at the Kalsu military base.

But if reports about Washington’s involvement were true, it would be a stab in the back of Iraqis especially immediately after an official visit by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to the United States. 
 
The blast at the military site came amid high tensions in West Asia in the wake of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and the regime’s deadly strike on Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital on April 1st. Iran retaliated the attack two weeks later by launching more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel. 

Meanwhile, fingers have also been pointed at Israel for the blast at the PMF base. However, an Israeli official told CNN that the regime was not involved.

If reports about Israel’s involvement in the incident came to be true, the U.S. would be responsible. This is because the U.S. has control over the Iraqi airspace.

Undoubtedly, Israel could not have carried out any attack inside Iraq without U.S. foreknowledge. 

Any attack inside Iraq either by the U.S. or Israel amounts to violating the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

The Popular Mobilization Forces was formed in 2014 in Iraq as part of a coalition of dozens of armed factions to combat the growing threat of the Daesh terror group. 

The PMU has been recognized as a formal security force by Iraqi authorities Since 2018.

The PMU is also an influential political group. 

The Shia Coalition Framework, which represents PMF-linked groups, won more than 30 percent of Iraq’s seats in the last provincial elections.

Anti-Israeli operations

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of anti-terror fighters, launched a drone strike against a strategic target in the southernmost part of Israel on Saturday. 

The group said it had hit an Israeli site in the port of Eilat. 

It noted that the operation was carried out in response to the “aggression” on the PMF base and in support of Palestinians in Gaza where Israel has been committing massacres since October 7. 

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has conducted many attacks on Israeli targets since the regime declared war on Gaza. 

Over the past years, calls have grown in Iraq for the expulsion of U.S. forces from the country. 

Presently, anti-U.S. sentiment remains high in Iraq due to Washington’s support for Israel’s war of genocide on Gaza. 

For now, ending the U.S. military presence in Iraq and halting Israel’s war on Gaza can reduce tensions in West Asia, prevent a broader conflict in the region, and put an end to malicious acts by the U.S. and Israel.