Nearly 300 missiles and drones have been launched at the Kurdistan Region by Iran and the Shia militias since the current war began.

By Jonathan Spyer, Middle East Forum

On Tuesday, the US embassy in Baghdad was hit by a rocket and drone attack. The attack was carried out by Iraqi Shia Islamist militiamen of the Hashed al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Formations (PMF).

It was the latest incident in the least-reported front of the current war underway in the Middle East.

Sabereen (“Patient Ones”) News, a Telegram channel associated with the pro-Iran Shia militias in Iraq, carried footage earlier this week of what it described as “the moment that the strongholds of the terrorist Iranian Kurdish parties in the Koya district of Erbil were bombed.”

The 30-second clip shows what looks like a missile flying toward a built-up structure as small arms fire tries vainly to bring it down.

The clip concludes with an explosion as the projectile slams into its target. The footage is accompanied by dramatic music.

Sabereen, which has over a million subscribers, has become somewhat frenetic in its output since the beginning of the current war.

The footage of the Koya attack, in which one person died, was followed by a similarly excited depiction of what it describes as “thick plumes of smoke rising after the Fujairah oil port in the UAE was targeted.”

The Sabereen footage is of an attack on the base of the Azadi Camp in the Koya district in northern Iraq, in the area administered by the Kurdish Regional Government.

Five missiles were launched at the site, which is maintained by the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (PDKI). PDKI is one of the largest of the Iranian Kurdish armed political movements engaged in opposition to the Iranian regime.

Koya is located about 200 kilometers from the Iraq-Iran border, not far from the Iraqi Kurdish capital city of Erbil.

I have visited the PDKI’s base at Koya on two occasions, the last time in late 2022. It would be wrong to picture it as a bristling, front-line position.

It houses the families of fighters and civilian activists, as well as the party’s Peshmerga (combatants). Undefended from the air, it has been attacked by Iranian ballistic missiles on two occasions in the years prior to the current war.

In 2022, I interviewed a PDKI member whose infant son was killed in one of the attacks.

Iran-backed militias open third front

Channels like Sabereen News exist to convey to the overwhelmingly Shia supporters of Iran and its “Mehwar al-Muqawama” (Resistance Axis) a sense that a combined regional struggle is underway between the united forces of Iran and the “Israeli Entity” and its American ally.

The impression the channel and others like it try to get across is that the Iranian and pro-Iran side is scoring an uninterrupted chain of triumphant victories.

This triumphalist tone may appear somewhat ridiculous.

But the statistics indicate that a determined Iranian and allied campaign is indeed underway in Iraq, making the country a third front in the current war, alongside the direct confrontation between the US, Israel, and Iran and Israel’s battle with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Nearly 300 missiles and drones have been launched at the Kurdistan Region by Iran and the Shia militias since the current war began.

The Iranians and their allies have struck at Erbil International Airport, which houses US forces, at the US Consulate, and at the Harir Air Base. The US has struck back, targeting Shia militia positions in Mosul, Ninawa, Kirkuk, and Anbar.

During the war between Israel and Iran last year, and indeed throughout the period of conflict since October 7, the Iraqi Shia militias were notable mainly by their absence.

At that time, many observers concluded that the militias now favored their own interests over their patrons and were concerned above all with avoiding retribution from Israel or the US.

This assessment should be revised. The current pattern of behavior of the militias indicates that they remain very much servants and assets of the regime in Tehran and are currently carrying out a military campaign on its behalf.

In the manner now familiar, these militias, in accordance with the playbook of the IRGC, are burrowed deep within the structures of the Iraqi state.

They possess armed capacities at least as strong as those of the official state itself. They are also, in their political iteration, a key component of the governing coalition.

The Coordination Framework, of which Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s movement is also a part, includes the main representatives of the pro-Iran militias.

Of these, the Badr Organization, led by Hadi al-Amiri, is the most veteran and well-established. Kataib Hezbollah, founded by the late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed by the US together with IRGC Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani on the road from Baghdad Airport in January 2020, is the most militant and efficient.

Alongside their political status, the militias are part of the officially organized security forces of the state, mustered in the framework of the PMF Commission and under the formal authority of the prime minister’s office.

In practice, as with their fellow Shia militiamen in Lebanon, the most significant of the PMF militias are part of a command structure headed by the IRGC in Tehran.

This situation, in which an Iran-controlled militia structure is in political alignment with a government led by an individual whom the US president has described as a “friend,” was precarious and contradictory from the start.

Now, however, with the militia structure engaged in open war on Iraqi soil against the US and its allies, it has become untenable.

As in Lebanon, there is no chance of successful and normal development for Iraq alongside the continued presence of the Iran-aligned militias. It is one or the other.

But the persistence of these frameworks is testimony to the continued durability of the Iranian model of power-by-militia throughout large parts of the Middle East, in spite of premature claims that Israel and the US had effectively defeated this model a year ago.

The reality is that Israel’s and the US’s vast conventional superiority can damage, weaken, and diminish the militias and their patron, but only the destruction of the Iranian regime or the building of effective local forces against these groups can lead to their final eclipse.

A Badr officer speaking to me at the movement’s headquarters in Baghdad in 2015 described his organization’s ambition in the following terms: “In Iran, they have the Artesh and the Revolutionary Guards. So that’s exactly how it should be here too. We’ll have the Iraqi army, and then also the PMF as permanent formations.”

That was 11 years ago. The officer, if he is still alive, is no doubt gratified that his wish has been achieved. Western policy on Iraq needs to catch up with this reality.

The post In Iraq, Iran’s proxy militias open a third front in war against the US and Israel appeared first on World Israel News.

An Iran-backed militia based in Iraq launched an FPV drone attack on Victory Base near Baghdad Airport, where the drone circled the facilities before eventually detonating into a building.

המיליציות בעיראק פרסמו תיעוד מפגיעת כטב”ם במתחם לוגיסטי בבסיס ויקטוריה של צבא ארה”ב סמוך לנמל התעופה בבגדאד. pic.twitter.com/THZIRHItRt

— מה חדש. What’s new (@Gloz111) March 15, 2026

The post WATCH: Iran-backed militia flies drone over US airbase in Iraq before detonating into a building appeared first on World Israel News.

The decision comes amid rising U.S.-Iran tensions and Israeli warnings over potential Houthi involvement.

By World Israel News Staff

Iran-backed groups across Yemen and Iraq are increasing military preparedness as fears grow of a broader regional confrontation involving Israel, the United States, and Tehran, according to multiple regional media reports.

In Yemen, the Houthi movement has reportedly elevated its nationwide alert level in anticipation of what it described as potential “aggression.”

Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that the group has initiated expanded military and security preparations, including tests of its air defense systems.

Recent weeks have also seen intensified military activity by forces loyal to the Sana’a authorities.

Ground exercises were carried out in several governorates, including Ibb, Hodeidah, and Sana’a, simulating reconnaissance, surveillance, and assault operations against hypothetical American and Israeli targets. The drills reportedly involved live ammunition as well as medium and light weaponry.

At the governmental level, officials in Sana’a have moved to strengthen emergency coordination mechanisms.

According to the Sana’a-based Saba News Agency, the Emergency Committee convened under Acting Prime Minister Mohammed Muftah to discuss measures aimed at improving national preparedness for possible attacks.

The meeting focused on coordination among government agencies, particularly the Civil Defense Authority responsible for rescue operations and minimizing casualties during emergencies.

The committee approved a series of steps intended to reinforce the emergency response sector and ensure faster operational readiness.

Observers cited by local outlets said the decision reflects precautionary planning amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran and renewed Israeli warnings regarding Houthi involvement in any future regional conflict.

While the Houthis have maintained their formal commitment to a ceasefire arrangement and halted missile launches connected to the Gaza war, officials in Sana’a have not declared an end to confrontation with Israel, leaving open the possibility of renewed escalation.

Parallel concerns are emerging in Iraq, where Iran-aligned Shiite militias are also preparing for potential developments.

The London-based Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that Iraqi political and security figures fear renewed militia involvement in external conflicts could again draw Iraq into cycles of military retaliation and international rivalry, threatening the country’s fragile security and economic stability.

A senior source within the “Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee,” an umbrella organization representing several Tehran-linked armed groups, told the outlet that there is a “real and serious tendency among some armed factions” to participate in any anticipated military confrontation between the United States and Iran.

The developments come as regional tensions remain elevated and multiple Iran-aligned groups signal heightened readiness amid ongoing uncertainty over potential escalation involving Israel, the United States, and Iran.

Military preparations reported in both Yemen and Iraq reflect growing concern among armed factions that any wider confrontation could quickly expand across multiple fronts in the region.

The post Iran-backed groups step up military preparations across region appeared first on World Israel News.

As threats of war continue to spread across the Middle East, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq—backed by the Iranian regime—displayed its underground missile facility for the first time, signaling a dangerous new threat.

CONCERNING

The Iranian backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq has unveiled for the first time an underground missile city.

This is a major escalation that brings strikes in Iraq far closer.

Very dangerous. pic.twitter.com/3pHuvKAYWO

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 31, 2026

The post WATCH: Iran-backed Iraqi militias show off underground missile base appeared first on World Israel News.

Israel prepares for simultaneous threats from Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria as regional enemies rebuild.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel is preparing for the possibility of another multi-front confrontation, similar to the assault it faced after the Hamas-led October 7 massacres, as regional adversaries in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria appear to be rebuilding their capabilities and tensions continue to escalate.

According to a report in the Hebrew-language outlet Walla, Hamas is working in coordination with Iran and its regional proxies — including Lebanon-based Hezbollah and militias operating in Syria — to rehabilitate the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which suffered significant blows during nearly two years of war with Israel.

Intelligence and security sources told Walla that Hezbollah’s repeated and blatant violations of the ceasefire suggest the terror group is preparing for a renewed round of conflict with Israel. The organization is leveraging Iranian financing to rebuild its military infrastructure, replenish its stockpile of missiles, and recruit new operatives.

While the Trump administration has expressed optimism that regional calm will take hold, Israeli officials are preparing for the possibility of fighting erupting simultaneously on multiple fronts.

On Wednesday, Israel carried out a series of intense airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza, killing a senior commander after the terror group openly violated the ceasefire by firing at IDF troops.

Although Hamas is required to disarm under the Trump-brokered ceasefire signed in October, the organization has repeatedly stalled and appears to be obtaining and storing additional weapons for a future confrontation with Israel.

The Israeli Air Force has also intensified its strikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, as the terror group continues to insist it will not disarm — even after the Lebanese government passed a resolution demanding it do so.

Meanwhile, the White House has signaled hope that a security arrangement between Syria and Israel may soon be finalized, which would involve an Israeli withdrawal from strategic outposts in southern Syria. Israeli officials, however, have no intention of approving such a move.

In southern Syria, Iranian-backed militias are being trained and funded by Tehran, raising Israeli concern that these forces could coordinate with Hezbollah and other proxies to launch a simultaneous, large-scale assault on Israel.

The post Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah rebuilding ‘Axis of Resistance’: Report appeared first on World Israel News.

On the night of March 6th-7th, 2025, pro-Assad loyalists clashed with Syria’s new government in Latakia and Tartus, killing over 70, while separate fighting continued in northern Aleppo and Raqqah between Turkish and Kurish forces.

This isn’t Gaza.
This isn’t Judea and Samaria.

This is Syria. Last night.

Arabs murdering others Arabs, depending on what type of Arab they are.

Why isn’t this all over mainstream media?

Oh right yeah, because they can’t twist it and blame the Jews.

pic.twitter.com/wGgf2eFtgA

— Kosher (@koshercockney) March 7, 2025

WHAT HAPPENED IN SYRIA LAST NIGHT:

Last night, Abu Muhammad al-Julani’s regime faced its most significant challenge since taking power. A group of Assad loyalists, led by former senior officers, launched a coordinated military offensive in Tartus and Latakia.

Caught off… pic.twitter.com/Uhb3RkPKbs

— Voice From The East (@EasternVoices) March 7, 2025

Syria, 3 months after regime change: pic.twitter.com/yvPXFki0Ah

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 7, 2025

Like Hamas, the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood terrorists' attack on Israel on 7th Oct., the Islamist regime in Syria is now dragging the bodies of minorities, including Alawites,Christians, and Druze,through the streets of Latakia.The media remain silentpic.twitter.com/rK1n2dpAGu

— Amjad Taha أمجد طه (@amjadt25) March 7, 2025

Syria seems to be breaking out into some sort of civil war. Huge numbers of “government” troops heading west and south and north and killing alawites, while the alawites are fighting back and killing government troops, and the Druze are fighting government troops, and the Kurds… pic.twitter.com/haDQN97y6m

— Cheryl E ️ (@CherylWroteIt) March 6, 2025

WATCH

Assad loyalists ambush HTS militants (Jolani forces) on the outskirts of Latakia, Syria.

Insane footage. pic.twitter.com/HmPgN7OAiV

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 7, 2025

The post WATCH: Syria erupts into chaos as various forces battle overnight appeared first on World Israel News.

Israel has already warned the Iraqi government that unless it reins in the militias, it faces Israeli strikes on its territory.

By JNS

The United States has informed Baghdad that Israeli strikes in Iraq are “imminent” if the Iraqi government fails to stop Iranian-backed militias from attacking the Jewish state, Arab media reported on Wednesday.

The U.S. told Iraq it has exhausted “all means of pressure” on Jerusalem and has urged Baghdad to take swift action to prevent these attacks, the reports by Al-Hadath and other Saudi-owned news outlets claimed.

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called on the United Nations Security Council to take “immediate action” against the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq launching drones and missiles at the Jewish state.

In a letter sent to the Security Council president for November, British Ambassador Barbara Woodward, Sa’ar expressed “grave concern over the significant increase in the frequency and the intensity of attacks on Israel conducted by the Iranian-backed militias” since September.

He warned that the ongoing attacks “have the potential to further drag the region in a very dangerous escalation while posing a significant threat to international peace and security,” noting that Jerusalem’s right to self-defense against threats from Iraq is enshrined in the U.N. Charter.

Israel has already warned the Iraqi government that unless it reins in the militias, it faces Israeli strikes on its territory, the Saudi website Elaph reported earlier this month.

Unnamed officials told the news outlet that satellites were monitoring the movement of ballistic missiles and related equipment from Iran to Iraq, which could be used in an attack on Israel.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani dismissed Sa’ar’s letter as a “pretext and argument to attack Iraq” and to “expand the war in the region,” speaking in a statement on Tuesday.

His office claimed that Baghdad has refused to enter into the regional conflict with the Jewish state while “seeking to provide relief to the Palestinian and Lebanese people.”

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iranian-backed amalgamation of terrorist groups, on Wednesday claimed responsibility for an attempted drone attack on a “military target” in Israel’s north on Tuesday night.

The IDF confirmed that it shot down a drone that was fired at the Jewish state “from the east,” a phrase the army uses to refer to Iraq. The drone was shot down before entering Israeli airspace, the Air Force said.

On Oct. 3, two Israeli soldiers were killed when an explosive-laden drone launched from Iraq hit an IDF base in the Golan Heights.

The post Israeli strikes in Iraq could be ‘imminent,’ US reportedly warns appeared first on World Israel News.