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US Designates Iraq’s 'Ansar Allah al-Awfiya' as Terrorist

Sheikh Haydar al-Ghrawi (X)
Sheikh Haydar al-Ghrawi (X)
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US Designates Iraq’s 'Ansar Allah al-Awfiya' as Terrorist

Sheikh Haydar al-Ghrawi (X)
Sheikh Haydar al-Ghrawi (X)

The US Department of State designated an Iraqi faction and its secretary-general, who has political and military influence in the country since his defection from the Sadrist movement in 2013, as terrorist.

“Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA) is an Iraq-based Iran-aligned militia group and part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI),” the Department said in statement.

The group and its Secretary-General Haydar Muzhir Malak al-Saidi, also known as Sheikh Haydar al-Ghrawi, were designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, it added.

The statement said Washington remains committed to using all available tools to counter Iran’s support for terrorism and to degrade and disrupt the ability of Iran-backed groups to conduct terrorist attacks.

In response, HAAA issued a statement saying: “We bring to our proud people the news of the unjust designation issued by the Great Satan (America) against Sheikh Haydar al-Saidi and the movement.”

The US designation is “a tacit acknowledgment of their heroic struggle and honorable defense of the rights of oppressed peoples.”

“It is proof that Sheikh Haydar al-Ghrawi and Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya represent symbols of courage and dignity, having faced challenges and sacrifices with faithful hearts and unwavering resolve. Accusing them of terrorism is nothing more than a badge of honor and pride that history will bestow upon them,” it added.

US Ambassador to Iraq, Alina Romanowski, posted on X that the State Department's terrorist designation of reaffirms Washington’s commitment to countering the malign influence of Tehran and the threats posed by Iran-aligned militia groups.

The Washington Institute describes HAAA as one of the top Iraqi proxies for Iran's Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. It said this Sadrist breakaway faction has long garrisoned the Syrian border and killed Iraqi protesters to demonstrate its loyalty.

The United States has escalated in recent weeks its rhetoric against Iraqi factions.

Tracy Jacobson, US President Joe Biden's nominee for ambassador to Iraq, surprised Iraqi officials with unconventional statements about Iranian influence and Tehran-backed militias.

Jacobson warned that Iran “remains a malign actor and a destabilizing influence in the region that threatens to undo all of Iraq’s achievements. We recognize that the primary threat to Iraq’s stability and sovereignty are the Iran-aligned militias.”

Press reports said Washington’s recent change of rhetoric could pave the way for attacks on pro-Iranian militias in the country, despite the Iraqi government's appeasement efforts.

During his visit to Washington last April, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani reassured the US that his government is able to protect US interests, including the embassy in Baghdad.

However, the targeting of US-branded restaurants by Iraqi factions still worries Washington.

- Who is Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya? -

HAAA first appeared in 2013 after a group of armed militias have defected from the Sadrist movement in Iraq.

Since, the group played key political roles, including its alignment with former prime minister Ibrahim Jaafari to participate in the general election in 2014.

In 2018, the group participated in the general election with the Fatah Alliance led by Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Ameri.

According to the Washington Institute, the group has a political entity in Maysan province, south Iraq, where it holds several provincial council seats. It said the group placed fourth in Maysan's 2013 provincial council elections, a showing that allowed its deputy Murtadha Hamood Ali al-Saidi to become head of the council's integrity committee.

Also, the group is one of the top Iraqi proxies for Iran's Quds Force and has killed Iraqi anti-government protesters in November 2019.

On April 4, 2020, HAAA was one of eight resistance groups to threaten attacks against US targets and prime ministerial candidate Adnan al-Zurfi, whom they accused of being “an American agent.”

Also, in early summer 2023, a reliable open-source article reported that Ghrawi was one of a select group of eight resistance leaders to meet with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran.

The US said on January 28, 2024 that HAAA members were involved in the deadly drone attack that killed three US soldiers near the Syrian-Jordanian border.

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Arab World

Houthis Threaten ‘Gradual Escalation’ after Fourth Attack on Israel

Houthi gunmen during a rally in Sanaa called by their leader (AFP) 
Houthi gunmen during a rally in Sanaa called by their leader (AFP) 
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Houthis Threaten ‘Gradual Escalation’ after Fourth Attack on Israel

Houthi gunmen during a rally in Sanaa called by their leader (AFP) 
Houthi gunmen during a rally in Sanaa called by their leader (AFP) 

Yemen’s Houthi group has threatened “gradual escalation” after claiming a fourth attack on Israel, about a week after entering the war alongside Iran as part of the Tehran-led “axis of resistance.”

The move comes as Yemen’s internationally recognized government steps up rhetoric, saying a decisive battle to retake the state from Houthi control is nearing. Israel, for its part, said it is consulting Washington on how to respond to the Houthi attacks, despite their limited impact compared with sustained fire from Iran and Hezbollah.

In a televised statement late Thursday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group launched “a salvo of ballistic missiles” at “vital Israeli targets in the occupied Jaffa area.” He claimed the operation was carried out in coordination with Iran and Hezbollah and had “successfully achieved its objectives.”

The Houthis said their intervention in what they described as a “major and exceptional battle” would be incremental, adding they would adjust their actions depending on “the enemy’s escalation or de-escalation.”

The latest strike marks the fourth since the group announced direct involvement in the regional confrontation, underscoring growing coordination among Iran-backed actors, including Hezbollah and armed Iraqi factions.

Limited effect

The Houthis had claimed a third attack a day earlier. The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen “without casualties or damage,” adding early detection allowed it to neutralize the threat.

Analysts say such attacks are unlikely to do more than stretch Israel’s air defenses, already under pressure from multiple fronts, including Iran and Hezbollah.

In his first appearance since announcing the escalation, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said the group had shifted from political and media backing of Iran to “direct operational engagement.”

He framed the attacks as part of “joint operations of the axis of resistance,” describing the confrontation as “a duty that transcends geographical borders.” He also defended joining the war, saying neutrality “is not an option,” despite growing concern inside Yemen over the economic and security risks.

Al-Houthi urged supporters to maintain weekly pro-Iran rallies and step up mobilization, including sending school students to summer camps—long used by the group for recruitment.

Government signals offensive

Tareq Saleh, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said “the battle to end the Houthi coup is approaching,” adding national forces would act “as one team.”

State media reported his remarks during a visit to forces on Yemen’s west coast, where he praised troops as “a safety valve for the republic,” signaling confidence in their ability to regain the initiative.

Saleh also pointed to the regional dimension, saying Iranian actions against Gulf states and Jordan show Tehran’s project is “destructive” and “has never truly been directed at Israel.”

Rejecting Houthi claims, he said the group “pretends to confront Israel” while using that narrative to justify violence against Yemenis, noting the conflict with the Houthis dates back to 2004, well before current regional tensions.

 

 

Arab World

Fire Reported at Foreign Oil Companies' Storage Facilities in Iraq after Drone Strike

Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi forces stand guard during a pro-Iran rally in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on April 2, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi forces stand guard during a pro-Iran rally in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on April 2, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
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Fire Reported at Foreign Oil Companies' Storage Facilities in Iraq after Drone Strike

Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi forces stand guard during a pro-Iran rally in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on April 2, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi forces stand guard during a pro-Iran rally in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on April 2, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)

A fire broke out ‌early ‌on Saturday at ‌storage ⁠facilities belonging to ⁠foreign ⁠oil ‌companies ‌west of Iraq's ‌Basra after ‌a ‌drone strike, security ⁠sources told Reuters.

Arab World

Israeli Forces Encircle Bint Jbeil in South Lebanon

A poster of a man and two children killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in south Lebanon (AP) 
A poster of a man and two children killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in south Lebanon (AP) 
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Israeli Forces Encircle Bint Jbeil in South Lebanon

A poster of a man and two children killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in south Lebanon (AP) 
A poster of a man and two children killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in south Lebanon (AP) 

Military developments are accelerating in south Lebanon as Israel steps up pressure through a mix of strikes, evacuation warnings and what analysts describe as a strategy of isolating border towns, with Bint Jbeil emerging as a primary focus.

The Israeli army on Friday warned residents on the northern outskirts of the nearby town of Ain Ebel to move further inside, in what appeared to be an effort to regroup civilians within designated areas.

Attention has centered on Bint Jbeil, where Israel appears to be avoiding a direct ground assault.

Retired Brigadier General Said Kozah told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israeli forces were “relying on a tactic of full encirclement rather than advancing directly into the town”.

He said troops were tightening a cordon along several axes — from Aitaroun and Aainata to the east and south, from Aita al-Shaab toward the outskirts of Haddatha in the north, and potentially from Ain Ebel in the west — effectively isolating Bint Jbeil on all sides.

Kozah noted that the evacuation of Salah Ghandour Hospital in the Saf al-Hawa area, a key junction linking the town to surrounding areas, pointed to an Israeli push to control supply and movement routes.

He added that Israel typically avoids combat in densely built areas due to the high cost, suggesting it may instead rely on heavy bombardment before any ground incursion.

“Bint Jbeil, with its prepared defenses, could become a costly war of attrition,” he stated, adding that a large-scale assault appeared unlikely in the immediate term.

Instead, he said, the likely scenario was continued encirclement, disruption of supply lines and clashes on the outskirts unless battlefield conditions shift.

Alongside developments in the south, Israel expanded pressure to Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee renewed warnings Friday, urging residents of Haret Hreik, Ghobeiry, Laylaki, Hadath, Burj al-Barajneh, Tahwitat al-Ghadir and Shiyah to evacuate immediately.

In the western Bekaa, Israel struck a bridge linking Sohmor and Mashghara over the Litani River after issuing prior warnings and calling on residents to move north of the Zahrani River.

An Israeli drone later struck worshippers leaving a mosque in Sohmor, killing two people and wounding 11 others, in a sign that strikes were extending to civilian gatherings.

Air strikes resumed on Beirut’s southern suburbs after two days of relative calm, while heavy bombardment continued across the south.

A house between Kafra and Srifa near a center run by the Islamic Health Authority was hit, burning an ambulance without causing injuries.

Strikes also hit Srifa, Braachit, Jouaiya, Borj Qalaouiyeh, Debaal, Ramadiyeh, Bustan, Yohmor al-Shaqif and Shaaitiyeh, with casualties reported, including among Syrians.

Additional strikes targeted Debbine and Srifa in the Tyre district, while intermittent artillery fire hit the outskirts of Haris and Kafra.

Drones were reported flying intensively over Hermel, the northern Bekaa, Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the southern suburbs as part of broad surveillance operations.

At dawn, Apache helicopters fired on the coastline from Bayyada to Mansouri, coinciding with clashes on the ground. Hezbollah fighters were reported to have attacked Israeli forces advancing toward the coastal road near Bayyada.

Overnight strikes hit Bint Jbeil, Hanine, Kounine and Tayri, while eastern Brachit came under artillery fire. Israeli forces also blew up remaining houses in Aita al-Shaab, with explosions heard as far as Tyre.

Separately, Lebanon’s National News Agency said three Indonesian soldiers serving with a UN peacekeeping unit were wounded at their base in Adaisseh by a shell, with the source under investigation.

Hezbollah said it fired rockets toward northern Israel, targeting Kiryat Shmona, troop positions at Honin barracks and military sites in Safed, as well as Metula and Kfar Yuval.

The group also said it detonated an explosive device against Israeli forces in Bayyada, causing casualties that required helicopter evacuation before the area was later shelled.