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Iran Strike Sparks Dispute with Iraq as Fears of Regional Upheaval Grow

A general view shows the destroyed home of Iraqi Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee, who was killed along with other members of his family, in an overnight missile attack targeting the city of Erbil, northern Iraq, 16 January 2024. EPA/GAILAN HAJI
A general view shows the destroyed home of Iraqi Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee, who was killed along with other members of his family, in an overnight missile attack targeting the city of Erbil, northern Iraq, 16 January 2024. EPA/GAILAN HAJI
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Iran Strike Sparks Dispute with Iraq as Fears of Regional Upheaval Grow

A general view shows the destroyed home of Iraqi Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee, who was killed along with other members of his family, in an overnight missile attack targeting the city of Erbil, northern Iraq, 16 January 2024. EPA/GAILAN HAJI
A general view shows the destroyed home of Iraqi Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee, who was killed along with other members of his family, in an overnight missile attack targeting the city of Erbil, northern Iraq, 16 January 2024. EPA/GAILAN HAJI

An Iranian missile strike on targets in northern Iraq set off an unusual dispute between the neighboring allies on Tuesday, with Baghdad recalling its ambassador in protest and Tehran insisting the attack was intended to deter threats from Israeli spies.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards hit what they called an Israeli espionage center in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, Iranian media reported late on Monday, while the elite force said they also struck in Syria against ISIS.

The strike appeared likely to deepen worries about worsening instability across the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas started on Oct. 7, with Iran's allies also entering the fray from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

There has also been concern that Iraq could again become a theatre for regional conflict after a series of US strikes on Iran-linked militant groups that are also part of Iraq's formal security forces. Those strikes came in response to dozens of attacks on US forces in the region carried out since Oct. 7.

The Guards said the late Monday attack, Iran's first direct military strike in the region linked to the Gaza war, was in response to Israeli "atrocities" against several of its commanders and those of Iranian-allied forces around the Middle East since the conflict started.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said the attack was "clear aggression" against Iraq and a dangerous development that undermined the strong relationship between Tehran and Baghdad, state media reported.

He said Iraq reserved its right to take all legal and diplomatic measures granted to it by its sovereignty.

In protest, Iraq recalled its envoy from Tehran and summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Baghdad.

The strike, on a residential area near the US consulate in Kurdistan's capital Erbil, was described by Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani as a "crime against the Kurdish people" in which at least four civilians were killed and six injured.

Multimillionaire Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee and several family members were among the dead, killed when at least one rocket crashed into their home, Iraqi security and medical sources said.

Iraq National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji denied the house was an Israeli spy center.

"To respond to the claim that there is a Mossad headquarters we visited the place and toured every corner of this house, and everything indicates that it is a family house belonging to an Iraqi businessman from Erbil," he told reporters.

'Reckless'

Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hayman said he would not speculate, when asked at a press briefing about Iran's assertion that it struck a Mossad site.

"What I will say is Iran continues to use its proxies to attack Israel on multiple fronts. We condemn Iran's activities and we call on the international community to stand up in defiance of Iran and call for peace in the region," he said.

Defending the attack, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said Tehran respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries, but it was Iran's "legitimate right to deter national security threats".

In addition to the Erbil strike, the Guards said they fired ballistic missiles in Syria and destroyed "perpetrators of terrorist operations" in Iran, including ISIS.

ISIS claimed responsibility for two explosions in Iran this month that killed nearly 100 people and wounded scores at a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani.

France accused Iran of violating Iraq's sovereignty and Washington condemned the attacks as "reckless". US officials said no US facilities were hit and there were no US casualties.

Iran, which supports Hamas in its war with Israel, accuses the US of backing what it calls Israeli crimes in Gaza. The US has said it backs Israel in its campaign but has raised concerns about the number of Palestinian civilians killed.

Iran has in the past carried out strikes in Iraq's Kurdistan region, saying the area is used as a staging ground for Iranian separatist groups as well as agents of its arch-foe Israel.

Baghdad has tried to address Iranian concerns over separatist groups in the region, moving to relocate some members as part of a security agreement reached with Tehran in 2023. 

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Arab World

Al-Wadiah Border Security Foils Attempt to Smuggle Thousands of Captagon Pills from Yemen 

Members of the Al-Wadiah battalion boast extensive experience allowing them to thwart ongoing smuggling attempts. (Al-Wadiah battalion) 
Members of the Al-Wadiah battalion boast extensive experience allowing them to thwart ongoing smuggling attempts. (Al-Wadiah battalion) 
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Al-Wadiah Border Security Foils Attempt to Smuggle Thousands of Captagon Pills from Yemen 

Members of the Al-Wadiah battalion boast extensive experience allowing them to thwart ongoing smuggling attempts. (Al-Wadiah battalion) 
Members of the Al-Wadiah battalion boast extensive experience allowing them to thwart ongoing smuggling attempts. (Al-Wadiah battalion) 

The “Al-Wadiah Port Security and Protection Battalion” thwarted an attempt to smuggle 4,925 Captagon pills bound for Saudi Arabia from areas under Houthi control in Yemen.

Col. Osama Al-Assad, commander of the battalion, said the seizure was made during routine inspection procedures at the land crossing.

Security personnel grew suspicious of an incoming vehicle and, after a thorough search, discovered the pills professionally concealed in an apparent attempt to evade detection.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Assad said the confiscated drugs were documented in line with legal procedures and the suspects were referred to the competent authorities for further investigation.

He stressed that coordination with the Saudi side remains strong and ongoing at the highest levels, expressing appreciation to the Kingdom for its continued support to Yemen in general and to the battalion in particular, helping bolster border security between the two neighbors.

In a recent interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Assad revealed that most drug smuggling networks operating from Yemen into Saudi territory are directly linked to the Houthi militants.

He noted that the battalion had previously arrested a Houthi leader attempting to enter Saudi Arabia using a forged passport and Umrah visa, suggesting the motives were security-related rather than religious.

Regarding the latest operation, Al-Assad said preliminary investigations indicate that most drug shipments intercepted at the crossing originate from Houthi-controlled areas.

He accused the group of relying on drug trafficking as a source of funding for its activities, posing a threat to Yemen’s national security, neighboring countries, and regional stability.

The battalion’s mission includes securing and protecting the Al-Wadiah crossing, combating various forms of smuggling, including drugs, human trafficking, forged documents, and unidentified individuals, and arresting wanted suspects, including members of al-Qaeda and fugitives evading court rulings.

Arab World

Sudan Government Condemns Ugandan President’s Talks with Hemedti

Hemedti at the presidential palace in Entebbe on Feb. 20, 2026 (President Museveni’s page on X).
Hemedti at the presidential palace in Entebbe on Feb. 20, 2026 (President Museveni’s page on X).
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Sudan Government Condemns Ugandan President’s Talks with Hemedti

Hemedti at the presidential palace in Entebbe on Feb. 20, 2026 (President Museveni’s page on X).
Hemedti at the presidential palace in Entebbe on Feb. 20, 2026 (President Museveni’s page on X).

The Sudanese government has condemned “in the strongest terms” Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s meeting with Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo calling the move “unprecedented” and an affront to humanity and the Sudanese people.

In a statement issued Sunday, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ceremonial welcome accorded to Dagalo, known as Hemedti, in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, mocked “the souls of innocent citizens killed in the war, whose dignity was violated and whose property was looted” by the RSF.

The Ministry added that Uganda’s action “contravenes the principles governing member states of regional and international organizations,” particularly the obligation not to offer support to armed groups rebelling against a legitimate government recognized internationally.

Museveni met Hemedti on Friday at the presidential palace in Entebbe, where the two discussed efforts to end the ongoing war in Sudan. The talks also addressed regional and international initiatives aimed at reaching a political settlement to the conflict.

The meeting marked Hemedti’s first prominent regional appearance in several months. According to Dagalo, the discussions included what he described as a “Ugandan vision” for ending the war.

In its statement, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged Uganda’s sovereign right to host whomever it chooses in accordance with its national interests. However, it expressed “deep concern” that the meeting could signal a shift in Kampala’s policy toward Sudan.

The Ministry urged the Ugandan government, in the interest of bilateral relations, good neighborliness, and non-interference in internal affairs, to distance itself from the RSF commander and not allow him to use Ugandan territory for political purposes.

Speaking to members of the Sudanese community in Entebbe, Hemedti said his visit came at the invitation of Museveni, who, he claimed, had been asked by Sudan’s government to intervene in efforts to help end the war.

In a post on the social media platform X, Museveni confirmed that he had received the RSF commander at the presidential residence in Entebbe and had listened to a detailed briefing on developments in Sudan.

He stressed that dialogue and a peaceful political settlement remain the only viable path to stability in Sudan and to ensuring security across the region.

Hemedti’s visit to Uganda came just one week after Museveni hosted Malik Agar, Vice Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, allegedly as part of regional and international efforts to secure a ceasefire and lay the groundwork for a comprehensive political solution to Sudan’s ongoing conflict.

Arab World

ISIS Lashes Out at Syria's Sharaa, Announces ‘New Phase of Operations’

A Syrian government soldier outside Al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa, which holds ISIS detainees (AFP)
A Syrian government soldier outside Al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa, which holds ISIS detainees (AFP)
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ISIS Lashes Out at Syria's Sharaa, Announces ‘New Phase of Operations’

A Syrian government soldier outside Al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa, which holds ISIS detainees (AFP)
A Syrian government soldier outside Al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa, which holds ISIS detainees (AFP)

Syria’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that a Syrian army soldier and a ‌civilian were killed a day earlier by “unknown assailants” in the northern city of Raqqa.

ISIS claimed ‌responsibility for two attacks targeting Syrian army personnel in northern and eastern Syria.

The militant group said on its Dabiq news agency that it had targeted “an individual of the apostate Syrian regime” in the city of Mayadin in Deir Ezzor province using a pistol, and attacked two other personnel with machine guns in Raqqa.

The attacks came after ISIS blasted Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, calling him a “puppet without a soul” controlled by Western countries, adding that his fate eventually will be similar to that of ousted leader Bashar Assad.

In an audio message released late Saturday by the group’s spokesman, who identifies himself as Abu Huzaifa al-Ansari, he called on ISIS followers around the world to attack Jewish and Western targets as they have in past years.

The ‌group also said it had begun a “new phase of operations” in Syria.

Al-Ansari sent greetings to ISIS militants from the group’s leader Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi who was named as the head of the group three years ago.

The audio is the first to be released by the group in months and comes after ISIS was blamed for attacks that left dozens dead or wounded in recent months in Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and other parts of the world.

The latest incidents come two days after ISIS claimed responsibility for another attack in Deir Ezzor that killed a member of the Interior Ministry’s internal security forces and wounded another.

In December, the group was blamed for an attack in central Syria that left three Americans dead and triggered intense US airstrikes on the extremists’ suspected hideouts in the country.