An explosion has damaged a military base in Iraq that houses a pro-Iranian militia, resulting in one fatality and eight injuries, according to security officials.

Iraq's military has stated that there were no drones or fighter jets present in the vicinity before or during the explosion. However, the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), the militia organization involved, has attributed the incident to an attack.

This event occurs within the context of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The PMF, an umbrella organization comprising various pro-Iranian militias, is part of Tehran's network of proxies utilized to further its interests in the Middle East over the years.

These militias have previously targeted US personnel and interests in Iraq, seeking to compel the withdrawal of remaining US troops from the country.

The US has responded to these attacks on multiple occasions. Nonetheless, the Pentagon has promptly refuted any involvement in this particular incident.

This development coincides with the intensification of the longstanding confrontation between Israel and Iran, particularly exacerbated by the conflict in Gaza. Unlike their previous covert engagements, both nations seem to have directly targeted each other's territories.

There was a presumed Israeli strike carried out near the Iranian city of Isfahan early on Friday morning.

The attack was an apparent response to a major drone and missile barrage that Tehran launched on Israel six days earlier.

The Iranian action was in retaliation for an earlier strike on senior Iranian military commanders in the Syrian capital Damascus - widely believed to have been carried out by Israel.

While the conflict still seems contained to some extent for now, the Iranian foreign minister has warned that Iran will deliver an immediate and "maximum" response if Israel launches significant attacks on its interests.

The explosion at Kalso military base, about 50km (30 miles) south of Baghdad, happened early on Saturday morning, the military said.

A member of the PMF was killed in the blast and eight others were wounded.

In a statement, the PMF said its chief of staff Abdul Aziz al-Mohammedawi had visited the base to review what investigators had found so far.

The Iraqi military also said it was investigating the cause of the explosion and fire at the base.

"The air defence command report confirmed, through technical efforts and radar detection, that there was no drone or fighter jets in the air space of Babil before and during the explosion," a statement read.

The US military's Central Command denied what it said were reports the US had carried out air strikes in Iraq in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

So sad

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