Iraqis Mourn Victims of Overnight US-Israeli Airstrikes in Mass Funeral Procession

BAGHDAD, July 29 (AP) — Thousands of mourners gathered across Iraq on Tuesday to bury victims killed during overnight airstrikes attributed by Iraqi officials and media outlets to a joint operation involving the United States and Israel. The funeral processions marked the first public response to an attack that intensified tensions in the region just hours after dawn.

The ceremonies took place primarily in Baghdad, Najaf, and Basra, where families of the deceased carried black banners bearing religious inscriptions alongside portraits of those killed. Security forces lined major thoroughfares as crowds chanted slogans condemning foreign military intervention. The scale of the gatherings reflected deep public anger over the casualties reported from the strikes, which targeted locations in both urban centers and rural areas.

Iraqi state television broadcast live footage of the funerals, showing large groups of men, women, and children participating in the rites. Religious leaders addressed the crowds, calling for unity against what they described as an unprovoked assault on Iraqi sovereignty. The broadcasts did not provide specific casualty figures but emphasized that multiple families lost members in a single night.

The airstrikes occurred late Monday evening and into Tuesday morning. While no official statement from Washington or Jerusalem has confirmed direct involvement in the operation, footage released by local news organizations showed missile trails and explosions consistent with precision-guided munitions used by both nations' air forces. Iraqi security sources told PressTV that intelligence indicated coordination between American and Israeli command structures prior to the launch.

In response to the attacks, Iraq's Parliament is scheduled to convene an emergency session later Tuesday to discuss potential measures against foreign military presence in the country. Government officials have demanded immediate accountability from Washington and Tel Aviv, though diplomatic channels remain closed as of midday.

Military analysts note that such coordinated strikes are unprecedented in recent years, raising questions about shifting alliances in the Middle East. The nature of the targets remains unclear; some reports suggest the sites were linked to militia groups operating within Iraq, while others indicate civilian infrastructure was struck inadvertently or intentionally.

As funeral services concluded late Tuesday afternoon, families vowed continued resistance against foreign aggression. However, uncertainty persists regarding whether further retaliatory actions will follow from Iraqi-backed militias or state forces. International observers are monitoring the situation closely as regional powers weigh their next moves in a rapidly evolving conflict landscape.