US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday night it had conducted strikes against Kataib Hezbollah terrorist group targets in Iraq.
The strikes were in response to “multiple attacks against coalition forces in Iraq and Syria”, the statement said.
“Earlier in the day, Iranian sponsored Kataib Hezbollah terrorists and affiliated groups attacked coalition forces at Erbil, Iraq resulting in several injuries,” said CENTCOM.
“Early assessments indicate that these US airstrikes destroyed the targeted facilities and likely killed a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants. There are no indications that any civilian lives were affected. The US military will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of these strikes,” the statement continued.
"These strikes are intended to hold accountable those elements directly responsible for attacks on coalition forces in Iraq and Syria and degrade their ability to continue attacks. We will always protect our forces," said General Michael Erik Kurilla, US Central Command Commander.
The strikes come hours after US and Iraqi officials said a drone attack targeted a military base in northern Iraq used by US and anti-jihadist coalition forces.
In the incident, a drone was launched towards a base close to Erbil airport, in Iraqi Kurdistan, Yehia Rasool, the Iraqi prime minister's spokesman for military affairs, said in a statement.
The attack caused injuries, Rasool said, without giving further details.
A US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to AFP that a drone attack was launched "at US and coalition forces" at the airbase, adding "we are still awaiting injury and damage assessments (if any)".
Not long after the drone attack, Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to have launched a drone against another base, close to Harir which is northeast of Arbil, which is also home to US and coalition forces, according to AFP.
Since the start of the war against Hamas in Gaza, the pro-Iranian militias have launched dozens of attacks on bases in Iraq and Syria which host US troops.
The US has retaliated by striking Iranian-linked sites in both Iraq and Syria.
A tally by US military officials has counted 103 attacks against its troops in Iraq and Syria since October 17.
Last week, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed it struck the Karish gas rig off Israel’s northern coast. While the militias claimed they successfully hit the Karish rig, they provided no proof of this.