Iraqi militia warns of ‘all-out war’ in support of Iran

Al-Hamidawi urged his forces to ready themselves on the ground and warned Iran’s enemies that any confrontation “will not be a picnic.”

By World Israel News Staff

The secretary-general of the Iran-aligned Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, issued a new warning Sunday, calling on his fighters to prepare for what he described as a “comprehensive war” in support of Iran, as tensions continue to build across the region.

In a statement circulated in Arabic media, al-Hamidawi urged his forces to ready themselves on the ground and warned Iran’s enemies that any confrontation “will not be a picnic.”

He claimed that adversaries would “taste the bitterest forms of death” and portrayed the moment as a defining struggle for the so-called “axis” aligned with Tehran.

He also said his fighters should be prepared to respond if senior religious authorities declare jihad, including the possibility of “martyrdom operations,” language commonly associated with suicide attacks.

Kataib Hezbollah, also known as the Hezbollah Brigades, is a powerful Iraqi Shiite paramilitary group backed by Iran and formally integrated into Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces.

The militia is widely viewed as one of the most influential armed factions in Iraq and has repeatedly called for the expulsion of U.S. troops from the country while promoting Iran’s regional agenda through armed activity and proxy pressure.

The group’s rhetoric comes as Iran’s network of regional proxies appears to be reactivating amid the heightened climate.

Alongside the Iraqi statement, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement released a short threat video bearing the caption “soon,” according to reports in the Arab world, fueling speculation of renewed escalation across multiple fronts.

The warning also follows earlier reports suggesting Tehran has increasingly relied on allied foreign militias not only for regional operations but also for internal security.

During the peak of recent anti-regime protests, the Iranian opposition outlet Iran International reported that hundreds of Iraqi fighters were transferred into Iran to assist local security forces as the unrest intensified.

The report said many of the fighters belonged to pro-Iran Shiite factions including Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, Sayyid al-Shuhada, and the Badr Organization.

Al-Hamidawi’s remarks reflect the growing uncertainty surrounding Iran’s next steps and the risk that any direct confrontation could quickly expand beyond Iran’s borders, drawing in allied militias and opening additional arenas of conflict.