America might regret its Baghdad drone strike

The latest American drone strike in Iraq, which killed the commander of a powerful Iranian-backed militia group, is one more dangerous escalation in the increasingly unpredictable Middle East conflict. The US strike in the Iraqi capital Baghdad targeted Wisam ‘Abu Baqer’ al-Saadi – a senior leader of Kataib Hezbollah, which the Pentagon blames for the attack that led to the deaths of three American soldiers in Jordan last month.

The rationale for the American retaliation is clear enough. It sends a powerful message that Washington will punish attacks on US forces in the region, using every means to hunt down those responsible. Everyone and everything – from military leaders to infrastructure – will feel the full force of American military might. Even so, the dangers of this approach are equally clear.

America is being pulled step by step into the quagmire of a prolonged and unpredictable war against Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.