📖 🇮🇶 🇮🇶 Explained: What is Kataib Hezbollah, the group targeted by US

🔶️ Kataib Hezbollah, also known as the Hezbollah Brigades, is an Iran-backed Iraqi militia accused of launching the drone strike in Jordan. Established in 2007 by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a close associate of Iran’s top general Qasem Soleimani, the group operates within the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella organisation of mostly Shia armed groups. Both al-Muhandis and Soleimani were killed in a US drone strike in 2020, escalating tensions between the US and Iran.

🔶️ The group adheres to the ideology of Wilayat al-Faqih, granting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ultimate authority over Shia Muslims. Designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the US since 2009, Kataib Hezbollah has denied involvement in some attacks, accusing the US of violating Iraq’s sovereignty.

🔶️ Led by Abu Fadak al-Mohammadawi, Kataib Hezbollah’s size and structure remain unclear, but it is estimated to have thousands of fighters with access to various weapons. The group has engaged in attacks against US forces, as well as against perceived enemies in Iraq and the region, and has deployed fighters to support Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad against rebels. In 2021, the group participated in Iraq’s elections, winning seats in parliament.

https://www.news9live.com/world/explained-what-is-kataib-hezbollah-the-group-targeted-by-us-2427318