Air Delivered event in Al Najaf, Al Taqtaqana area, Iraq on Wed 4th March 2026

On 4 March 2026, US military forces conducted an airborne landing operation with 4 to 7 helicopters and additional Humvees in desert areas between Kerbala and Al Najaf governorates in An Nukhayb desert areas (location unknown, coded as Al Taqtaqana city, Al Najaf), and engaged an Iraqi unit from the 41st Brigade that was conducting a search and reconnaissance mission, firing on them as they approached the site (aerial gunfire). This resulted in one Iraqi soldier killed, two others injured, and two Iraqi Humvees destroyed. The Iraqi Joint Operations Command condemned the incident as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. The forces which conducted the airdrop were likely gathering intelligence on Popular Mobilization Forces in the area. 2 injured, 1 fatality.