Iraq, long a proxy battleground between the United States and Iran, has been dragged into the Middle East war that began when the United States and Israel attacked Iran last month.

Thursday's air strike targeted a base in the city of Kirkuk, occupied by the Hashed al-Shaabi, a former paramilitary coalition, now integrated into Iraq's regular army.

The Hashed also encompasses brigades from Iran-backed groups, which have been targeted in attacks blamed on the United States and Israel since the start of the war.

A security source in Kirkuk told AFP that at least "two members of the Hashed forces were martyred in an air strike that hit their base".

Search and rescue operations are still underway at the site, which has been engulfed by flames.

A Hashed official told AFP that three fighters were killed in the strike.

An AFP journalist in Kirkuk reported that security forces had been deployed near the site, which is close to the city's airport.

The US designates several Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups as terrorist organisations.

These groups are also united under a loose alliance called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has claimed attacks against US bases in Iraq.

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