‘Duck-hunting grounds,’ Iran-backed Iraqi militia threatens US bases as Trump mulls strike on Tehran

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he would give diplomacy a chance before deciding on military action against Iran.

An Iran-backed militia group has warned of attacks on US military bases in the Middle East if Washington gets directly involved in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, CNN reported.

Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Shia militia, issued the threat through its security leader Abu Ali al-Askari, who said US bases across the region would become “duck-hunting grounds” if America enters the war.

“We reaffirm, with even greater clarity, that should the United States enter into this war, the deranged (US President Donald) Trump shall forfeit all the trillions he dreams of seizing from this region,” he said in a statement on Thursday, as quoted by CNN.

The group also warned of closing key shipping routes, the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandeb, and said oil ports along the Red Sea would be shut down if tensions escalate. Al-Askari even hinted at possible attacks on US aircraft, warning of “unforeseen surprises” in the skies.

The US currently has at least 27 military bases across the Middle East, 12 of which have been active for over 15 years. In January 2024, Kataib Hezbollah was suspected of carrying out a deadly drone strike that killed three US soldiers and injured over 30 others at Tower 22, a US outpost near the Syria-Jordan border.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-aligned militias including Kataib Hezbollah, had also claimed attacks on sites near the Jordan-Syria border, including the Al-Rukban camp close to Tower 22.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he would give diplomacy a chance before deciding on military action against Iran. Speaking through White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump said he would wait up to two weeks to see if negotiations with Tehran were possible.

“There’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future. I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Leavitt quoted Trump as saying during a press briefing.

She also clarified the administration’s position on Iran’s nuclear ambitions: “No enrichment of uranium and... Iran is absolutely not able to achieve a nuclear weapon. The President has been very clear about that.”

Trump, speaking separately on Wednesday, said he preferred a diplomatic solution but would act if needed. “I’m not looking to fight. But if it’s a choice between fighting and having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do,” he said.