Major Iranian-backed militant group vows to expand conflict if U.S. airstrikes continue

By TARA COPP and KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A major Iranian-backed militant group in Iraq has warned it may strike additional U.S. targets after U.S. warplanes killed multiple militants in response to the first use of a short-range ballistic missile against U.S. forces at Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq. Tensions in the region continue to rise in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. U.S. fighter aircraft struck two operations centers belonging to Iraqi Hezbollah. And an AC-130 gunship took out a vehicle and militants the U.S. connected to the first use of a short-range ballistic missile against Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq on Tuesday. Kataib Hezbollah, the militant group struck, said it was considering “expanding the scope of targets” if the U.S. military continues with its strikes.