Seven Iraqi soldiers were killed and 13 were wounded in an airstrike on a military base in Habbaniyah, Anbar province, in the early hours of March 25, Iraq's Ministry of Defence said.

The ministry said the Habbaniyah Military Dispensary and the Works Department, both affiliated with the site command, "were subjected to a heinous airstrike followed by fire from aircraft cannons" while personnel were carrying out their duties. Rescue teams were continuing search operations at the site, it added.

The ministry described the attack as "a flagrant and grave violation of all international laws and norms that prohibit the targeting of medical facilities and their personnel" and called it "a criminal act" and "a dangerous escalation that demands a firm stance and the accountability of those responsible."

No party claimed responsibility for the strike.

The ministry said its forces remained committed to their mission. "These cowardly attacks will not deter our personnel from performing their duties; rather, they will only increase their resolve and determination," it said, adding that it reserved "its full right to take all necessary measures to respond to this aggression within the approved legal frameworks."

The attack came days after a separate strike on the Iraqi National Intelligence Service in Baghdad killed an intelligence officer. Iraq has faced repeated strikes on its territory since the US and Israel launched joint military operations against Iran in late February, with bases hosting Iraqi forces and Iran-aligned factions both coming under fire amid the widening regional conflict, Rudaw reported on March 25.