Airstrike on Al-Habbaniyah Military Clinic Kills 7, Injures 13, Iraqi Defense Ministry Says
The Ministry of Defense said it “reserves the right to take all necessary legal measures in response to the aggression.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iraq’s Ministry of Defense on Wednesday reported that a military medical clinic and associated engineering division in Al-Habbaniyah, a town in Al Anbar Governorate, came under a deadly airstrike early Wednesday morning, resulting in the deaths of seven personnel and injuries to 13 others.
According to the ministry statement, the strike occurred at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday and was followed by artillery fire from aircraft. Rescue teams are still searching the site for survivors, the ministry said.
The targeted facilities included a military medical clinic and the engineering branch of the Al-Habbaniyah site. The personnel were performing their national and humanitarian duties at the time, according to the ministry.
The ministry condemned the attack as a “blatant and serious violation of international laws and norms prohibiting the targeting of medical facilities and staff.”
It described the strike as a criminal act representing a dangerous escalation in the conflict and demanded accountability for those responsible.
“These cowardly attacks will not deter our teams from fulfilling their duties,” the statement said. “They only strengthen our resolve to continue serving the nation and its people.”
The Ministry of Defense said it “reserves the right to take all necessary legal measures in response to the aggression.”
It concluded by honoring the martyrs and wishing speedy recovery for the injured, stating: “Mercy and eternity to our righteous martyrs, and a swift recovery for our heroic wounded. Indeed, to God we belong, and to Him we shall return.”
On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mohammed Shia al-Sudani chaired an emergency meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security to review the latest military developments in Iraq and the wider region.
According to Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief, the council emphasized that under the constitution, only the state and its official institutions have the authority to decide on matters of “war and peace.” No party, group, or individual is permitted to usurp this authority, and any action outside this framework would face strict legal consequences.
The council highlighted the need for a balanced policy to keep Iraq out of the center of regional conflicts while reaffirming the duty of security institutions to maintain stability and security in accordance with the law and constitution.
It also stressed that no faction within the Popular Mobilization Forces is permitted to act outside official legal frameworks and directives.
The council authorized legitimate self-defense and military responses against aerial and drone attacks targeting security bases, describing this as a natural right to defend itself using all available means.
Security forces were tasked with arresting individuals and entities responsible for attacks on state institutions, citizens’ interests, and diplomatic missions, with military commanders held accountable for any negligence in executing judicial arrest warrants.