BREAKING NEWS: Mysterious attack! Kalsu was destroyed

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At midnight, when Israel retaliated against Iran, almost simultaneous explosions were heard in both countries in the Middle East. While it was revealed that the radar base in southern Syria was hit, photos showing parts of Israeli missiles came from Iraq.

Less than 24 hours after the Iranian retaliation that kept the world on edge, this time Hashd al-Shaabi, one of the Tehran administration’s most serious allies in the region, was dealt a heavy blow.

The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Force (Hashd al-Shaabi) militia joined the Iraqi security forces after years of being accused of extrajudicial killings and illegal criminal acts. The organization attracted attention three years ago by hitting the CIA warehouse in Erbil with a kamikaze drone.

Continuing to target US bases in Iraq, Hashd al-Shaabi increased its attacks together with other pro-Iran militia groups, especially after the war in Gaza. In the past months, the US army responded to these attacks by bombarding some Hashd al-Shaabi bases with warplanes.

However, the attack that took place in Babil, south of the capital Baghdad, in the early hours of Saturday, April 20, dealt a heavy blow to the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi, which is estimated to have more than 200 thousand militants.

The missiles, shining from the sky at midnight and advancing towards the ground, targeted Kalsu Base, the headquarters of Hashd al-Shaabi. While explosions occurred one after another at the Kalsu base, the flames of the huge fire were visible from kilometers away.

Kalsu base was in the town of Alexandria, about 50 kilometers from Baghdad.

In the images shared on social media, there were flames and smoke rising into the sky from Kalsu, as well as ambulances quickly carrying the injured to hospitals.

The huge fire in Kalsu, known as the main headquarters of Hashd al-Shaabi, could not be extinguished for hours, and in the morning it turned out that there was almost nothing left of the base. It remains a mystery whether the giant crater opened on the base was the result of a missile attack or an ammunition depot that blew up. The crater’s diameter exceeds 10 meters and its depth is approximately six meters.

An Iraqi military official, speaking anonymously to AFP, said that ammunition depots at the base exploded.

In its first statement on its Facebook account, the Iranian-backed militia group announced that the attack was carried out by the USA. Central Command (CENTCOM), which carries out US operations in the Middle East, published a statement on its X account at 03.04 midnight, stating that they did not take any role in the attack and denied the news.

An Israeli official speaking to CNN International said that Israel was not involved in the attack that destroyed Kalsu, the Hashd al-Shaabi headquarters.

While the question of who carried out the attack remains unanswered, it is also unclear whether Kalsu was hit by an armed unmanned aerial vehicle or warplanes.

QUESTION MARKS GOT BIGGER

The statement made by the Iraqi National Security Service this morning has led to even greater question marks. According to the official statement, there were neither armed unmanned aerial vehicles nor warplanes in the skies of Babil province, where Kalsu is located, at midnight.

Hashd al-Shaabi responded to Iraqi officials minutes later and announced that the main headquarters was attacked. The Iranian-backed organization shared the information that one person died and many people were injured in the air attack.

VISITED THE WOUNDED IN THE HOSPITAL

International news agency AFP shared photos of Hashd al-Shaabi commander Abu Fadak al-Muhammadawi visiting the wounded in the hospital this morning. In the photographs taken at the Hilla hospital in Babil, many injured people wearing military uniforms are striking.

Hamas announced that it condemned the attack targeting Hashd al-Shaabi headquarters in Iraq.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, analyst Rich Outzen emphasized that the attack in Kalsu could be another message. According to Outzen, the usual suspect of the attack is Israel.