At least seven fighters from Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) were killed in a fresh airstrike targeting a base in western Anbar province on Tuesday, as regional tensions tied to the ongoing Iran conflict continue to spill into Iraq.

Seven fighters from the Hashed al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) and now part of the regular armed forces, were “killed and 13 wounded in a US strike” targeting their base in western Anbar province, a PMF source said.

While there has been no immediate official confirmation from Washington, the strike comes days after senior US military officials acknowledged carrying out operations against Iran-linked armed groups in Iraq using Apache helicopters to “suppress threats” to US forces.

The latest strike underscores the widening footprint of the conflict that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, triggering a chain of retaliatory actions across the region.

Iraq has increasingly become a battleground for indirect confrontation. Iran-backed militias — many of them part of the PMF- have stepped up attacks on US bases and interests, including drone and rocket strikes targeting diplomatic and military facilities.

In response, the US has intensified its military posture, carrying out repeated strikes on militia positions across Iraq in recent weeks. Earlier this month, multiple airstrikes in Anbar province killed dozens of PMF fighters and destroyed key bases, signalling a sharp escalation.

The Iraqi government, caught between its security ties with Washington and political links to Iran-backed factions, has repeatedly condemned such strikes on its soil, warning that they risk further destabilising the country.

The situation remains volatile, with fears of further escalation as tit-for-tat attacks between US forces and Iran-aligned groups continue across Iraq and the wider region.

Pro-Iran armed groups have claimed attacks on US interests in Iraq and elsewhere in the region, even as they themselves have come under repeated strikes.

Last week, the Pentagon said for the first time that combat helicopters were used to target Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq during the ongoing conflict.