Kathmandu— Sheikh Akram al-Kaabi, leader of the Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba militia, has vowed a military response to recent joint US-Saudi strikes in Iraq, asserting that the deaths of members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) demand retaliation. The militia leader rejected diplomatic options with Saudi Arabia on Saturday, following precision strikes that reportedly killed 20 people and wounded 32 others.

Demands for Military Retaliation

Al-Kaabi, the Secretary-General of the militia group affiliated with the PMF, stated that the group's losses require a forceful reaction rather than financial settlements. He rejected the notion of compensation for the families of the deceased, questioning, "What compensation are you talking about that is worth their sacred blood, and what money can bring back joy to their orphans, their bereaved mothers, and their widowed wives?"

Concluding his statement with a warning of escalation, al-Kaabi declared that "missiles can only be countered with missiles, and fire can only be met with fire."

Joint US-Saudi Precision Strikes

The threats follow precision strikes conducted on July 28 by US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. According to CENTCOM, the operation targeted multiple logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq used by Iran-aligned militants.

The US military stated the strikes were a response to more than 30 aerial drone attacks directed by the IRGC toward US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure within a 72-hour period. CENTCOM noted that previous attempts by these groups to target US forces had been unsuccessful.

Casualties and Regional Tension

The scale of the casualties was highlighted by Iranian state media and the PMF, which reported that at least 20 forces were martyred and 32 others were wounded during the attacks on official PMF headquarters across various Iraqi provinces.

Al-Kaabi further accused the Saudi Arabian government of involvement in conspiracies targeting Iraq and supporting attacks such as car bombings. He dismissed the possibility of diplomacy with the Saudi regime, calling the option of engagement "futile."

CENTCOM has warned that the IRGC and its proxies must cease their attacks to avoid further military responses.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.