ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s pro-Iran Kata’ib Hezbollah warned on Sunday that they will target US bases and interests across the region, should Washington decide to intervene in the Iran-Israel military conflict.

“We are closely monitoring the movements of the American enemy army in the region. If America intervenes in the war, we will act directly against its interests and bases spread throughout the region without hesitation,” said the Iraq-based pro-Iran militant faction in a statement.

Tensions have escalated between Iran and Israel over the past two days, after Israel launched a large-scale aerial campaign against Iran, targeting military bases, nuclear facilities, and killing dozens of top Iranian officials and commanders. Iran responded with a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones later in the evening, targeting Tel Aviv and other parts of Israel.

The militant group called on the Iraqi government to take action toward “closing the embassy of the greatest evil and expelling the American occupation forces from the country,” in order to “prevent the war from expanding,” adding that Iran “does not need any military support from anyone to deter” Israel. 

US President Donald Trump said that “the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come - And they know how to use it,” in a post on Truth Social after the Israeli strikes. 

Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh on Wednesday threatened that the US “will be forced to leave the region” if it decides to pursue any “aggression” against Tehran in the event of a breakdown in the nuclear talks.

“All of its [the US’] bases are within our reach, and we have access to them, and we will target them all in the host countries without consideration,” said Nasirzadeh.

The US State Department announced it was shrinking its diplomatic missions in several countries in the Middle East in the days leading up to the Israeli aerial campaign, authorizing American dependents and non-military personnel to leave the region after the Iranian threat.