US airstrike in Baghdad kills militia leader behind attacks on American forces

The U.S. carried out an airstrike in Baghdad on Wednesday targeting a senior leader of an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq that was blamed for attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East, according to U.S. Central Command.

A U.S. official told ABC News that the airstrike was part of the retaliatory actions President Joe Biden authorized last week following the deadly attack on Jan. 28 on the Tower 22 base in Jordan that killed three American soldiers.

The strike was carried out by a drone, according to another official.

Earlier on Wednesday, two U.S. officials had confirmed to ABC News that the U.S. carried out an airstrike in Baghdad targeting a high-value target.

The militant group Kataib Hezbollah said that Abu Baqir Al-Saadi, a senior leader, had been killed in Baghdad along with two other people who were escorting him.

Planning for the strike began once Biden directed the military to review options following that attack and then the president gave the order early last week, a third U.S. official said. The strike on the Kataib Hezbollah leader occurred as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

To ensure operational security, Iraq's government was not notified until shortly after the airstrike had taken place, this official said.

«At 9:30 p.m. February 7, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a unilateral strike in Iraq in response to the attacks on U.S. service members, killing a Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. forces in the region,» CENTCOM said in its statement.

«There are no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties at this time,» the statement continued. «The United States will continue to take necessary action to