Washington resumed military operations in Baghdad, though the Iraqi parliament voted to deport US forces from the country, according to unnamed sources.

"The US resumed its military operations in Iraq on January 15, ending a two-week pause after the attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad," two US military officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said January 15. It is not clear if the Iraqi government will approve the US resumption of military activities in the country. Iraqi officials did not comment.

The decision was made less than two weeks after the Iraqi parliament voted to end the presence of foreign military forces in Iraq, including the US military. The resolution takes effect if passed by the Iraqi cabinet.

Iraq accused the United States of violating Iraqi sovereignty by carrying out an air attack to kill Iranian Brigadier Qassem Soleimani, an Iraqi militia commander and eight others near Baghdad airport on January 3.

According to emails exchanging military assistance between the State Department and the US Department of Defense that the Wall Street Journal acquired on January 14, the State Department, the Pentagon are preparing plans to cut $ 250 million in military aid. giving Iraq if it deported 5,300 US troops.

Speaking to his cabinet on January 14, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said the government would agree with parliament if the resolution to end the presence of foreign military forces in Iraq was passed. However, he noted that if Baghdad agreed to deport the US military, this would not be immediately possible. He also warned the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) organization began to consolidate its forces and plan attacks.

About 5,300 US servicemen and hundreds of international partners remain in Iraq. In response to the Iraqi threat, Trump threatened to impose unprecedented economic sanctions and would demand Baghdad pay billions of dollars to US air bases there.