IRAQ is “studying all legal options” after a United States air strike killed a child on Monday in an attack that has been condemned by regional leaders as a violation of sovereignty and a potential war crime.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi convened an emergency security meeting the day after the attack, which he said was a “blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqi national security.

“Iraq reiterates its refusal to be an arena for settling scores,” he added in a statement, urging all sides to avoid any further escalation. 

Hawkish US Secretary of State Antony Blinken justified the US attacks on Monday, saying that they sent “a strong message” to what he described as “pro-Iranian” forces he accused of attacking US military bases.

“This action in self-defence to do what’s necessary to prevent further attacks sends a very important and strong message,” he told reporters in Rome.

The air strikes on the Iraq-Syria border area were the second attacks ordered by President Joe Biden since he took office in January.

Washington claimed the missiles struck Iranian military bases — one in Iraq and two inside Syria — on Sunday night and Monday morning.

The Pentagon insisted that the bases were used by “Iran-backed militia that are engaged in [drone] attacks against US personnel and facilities in Iraq.”

The Iranian Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of militias supporting the Iraqi government’s fight against Isis, said that four of its soldiers were killed in the attack.

It said that those who died were engaged in activities to prevent terrorists entering Iraq from Syria in joint operations and confirmed that “they are not involved in any activity against the foreign presence in Iraq.”

A statement from the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks as a “flagrant violation of the sanctity of Syrian and Iraqi lands.”

The Co-ordination Committee of the Iraqi Resistance, which includes the Iran-backed Shi’ite paramitilitary Kataib Hezbollah group, vowed revenge for the “martyrdom” of the PMF fighters.

It said the attack was designed “to weaken their capabilities in resisting terrorist” groups and warned that the region would “not enjoy stability and security before the expulsion of the occupying US forces.”

Criticism of the US by the Iraqi government is rare, despite the Baghdad parliament voting for the expulsion of all US troops from the country after the assassination of Iranian Quds Force commander General Qasem Soleimani carried out by a US drone at Baghdad airport in January 2020.

“Technical discussions” took place over the withdrawal of US forces in April, but no timescale has been given.

Washington still has about 2,500 soldiers in Iraq at a number of military bases.