American forces for years and was a target of the# first American strikes last Friday.

But another# group bore most of the dead and casualties and# claims no connection to the attacks on the U.S. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn# traveled to the site of those airstrikes## in Western Iraq and met members of this other# paramilitary group for this exclusive report.

SIMONA FOLTYN: Conflict is spreading through# the Middle East; 400 miles from Gaza,## another front has claimed three# American and many more Iraqi lives.

We have been driving for hours into the deserts# of Western Iraq to reach a place called Akashat.## It's located near Iraq's border with Syria and# has been heavily hit by American airstrikes.

Those strikes were the Biden# administration's response to## a drone attack that killed three# U.S. service members in Jordan,## but who exactly did they hit?

This stretch# of barren land has been carved up bet number of armed actors jostling for power# and control over the strategic border.

Akashat, a small town left abandoned since the# war with ISIS, falls under the 13th Brigade of## the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella# group of paramilitary forces formed to fight## ISIS beginning in 2014 and that are now# officially part of Iraq's security forces.

Abu Saif witnessed the attacks.

He tells me that# the first missile struck the military hospital.

ABU SAIF AL-TAMIMI, Soldier, Popular Mobilization# Forces (through translator): Around three to four## rockets hit the ho SIMONA FOLTYN: The wrecked hulk of an# ambulance still lies beneath the rubble;## 17 PMF members in total were killed.

ABU SAIF AL-TAMIMI (through translator):# They targeted other places in this compound,## so that anyone who's injured# can't get medical care.

SIMONA FOLTYN: So you think it was on purpose?

ABU SAIF AL-TAMIMI (through translator): Yes,## it was on purpose.

Why e SIMONA FOLTYN: This is the first time Brigade# 13, also called Liwa Tafuf, was targeted by## the United States, and many here are struggling to# understand why.

It's not part of the four entities## that make up another, more secretive grouping# called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has## claimed responsibility for attacking American# troops at bases throughout Iraq and Syria.

ABU SAIF AL-TAMIMI (through translator): We don't# have anything to do with the attacks.

They can't## get to those who carry out the attacks, so they# target tho SIMONA FOLTYN: The group that is believed# responsible for the bulk of attacks on## American forces is Kataib Hezbollah.

I visited# their bases not far from Ak Kataib Hezbollah is the most powerful# of the self-dubbed resistance,## but part of it has been incorporated# into the larger PMF, and it tries to## use this official government-bestowed status# to shield itself from American retaliation.

The United States has designated# Kataib Hezbollah and other members## of their resistance as terror organizations.

The Pentagon said that American fighter jets# hit -- quote -- by Iran's Revolutionary Guards" -- unquote# -- and not the Popular Mobilization Forces,## or PMF, which is part of the Iraqi state.# But the targeting of the PMF's Brigade 13## here in Akashat raises questions about those# claims and the accuracy of the intelligence.

The other possibility, some Iraqi officials worry,## is that the United States has broadened its# definition of what it re target to all of the PMF.

Under heavy# guard, the commander arrives to inspect## the aftermath of the strikes.

His men warily eye# an American surveillance drone hovering above.

Qasem Musleh heads Brigade 13 and# the PMF in this area.

He tells me## that these installations have never been# used to launch attacks on American forces.

QASEM MUSLEH, Commander, Popular Mobilization# Forces (through translator): This place and## this activities towards American forces.

We are# part of the Popular Mobilization Forces,## and we take our orders from the prime minister.

SIMONA FOLTYN: There are accusations# against or Liwa Tafuf, enabled groups like Kataib# Hezbollah to launch attacks QA SEM MUSLEH (through translator): First of all,## to the resistance factions.

There was# no leadership here, as they claimed,## or people with ties to foreign countries, or# who took part in strikes on coalition forces.

SIMONA FOLTYN: So you can say# with absolute confidence that## your brigade has never attacked American forces?

QASEM MUSLEH (through translator):# Absolutely not, and we won't.

SIMONA FOLTYN: What is your# message to the American QASEM MUSLEH (through translator): First# of all, let them review their accounts## and their agents who transmit informat verify the information they received,# because there are innocent people here.

SIMONA FOLTYN: The White House gave plenty# of advance warning of impending strikes,## giving the factions responsible for attacking# American troops time to vacate their facilities and leaving others to pay the# price, including civilians.

We drive onwards to al-Qaim, where American# strikes targeted a Kataib Hezbollah base## inside a residential area.

There, I# met Anmar Al-Rawi.

His younger brother,## 20-year-old student Abdelrahman, was killed# when a missile fell on the family home.

ANMAR AL-RAWI, Brother of Bombing Victim# (through translator): I was here when it## happened.

I own hands.

We are civilians.

This is# our area.

It belongs to us SIMONA FOLTYN: This security# camera captured the impact,## another clip filmed on a cell phone# the sobs of desperate It's unclear whether this was a direct hit from an## American warplane or secondary explosions# from wea Who do you think bears the# responsibility for your brother's death?

ANMAR AL-RAWI (through translator): In# the first place, the Americans.

Of course,## their strike was a reaction to the attack on# them, but their re not on the militaries.

Not one from# Kataib Hezbollah was killed.

They## knew there was ammunition in the base# and that civilians would be affected.

SIMONA FOLTYN: Nearby, people gather to pay# their respects for the dead.

Many Iraqis see## the U.S. strikes not as self-defense, but as yet# another violation of their country's sovereignty.

Tribal leader Ragheb Al-Karbouli# fears worse is yet to come.

SHEIK RAGHEB AL-KARBOULI, Tribal# Leader (through translator): Perhaps,## if it may lead to an unpredictable regional war.

SIMONA FOLTYN: I ask him what the# solution is to prevent further esca SHEIK RAGHEB AL-KARBOULI (through# translator): The solution to th solution is the Palestinian issue.

An# independent Palestinian state with full## sovereignty will give an opportunity for# security and peace in the entire region.

SIMONA FOLTYN: By striking inside Iraq, many# here think the United States is fueling anger,## while not making enough effort to address the root# causes of what has already become a regional war.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm# Simona Foltyn in Western Iraq.