BAGHDAD, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that a military clinic in western Anbar province was struck by an airstrike in the morning, leaving seven soldiers dead and 13 others wounded.
According to a statement released by the ministry, the attack occurred at around 9:00 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), targeting the Habbaniyah military clinic and an engineering unit affiliated with the Habbaniyah site command belonging to the defense ministry. The airstrike was followed by shelling from an aircraft.
The killed and wounded personnel were carrying out their national and humanitarian duties, the statement said, adding that rescue teams are still searching the site for possible victims.
The ministry described the attack as a "blatant and grave violation" of international laws and norms prohibiting the targeting of medical facilities and their staff, warning that such acts could constitute serious crimes.
It stressed the incident represents a dangerous escalation and that those responsible for the attack must be held accountable.
It reiterated Iraq's full right to take all necessary measures in response to the attack in accordance with applicable laws and frameworks.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
On Tuesday, a U.S. airstrike killed 15 members of Iraq's paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces, including a senior commander in Anbar, a security source told Xinhua.
The attacks occurred amid heightened regional tensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28. Iran and its regional allies have responded with attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East. ■
