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Attacks in Baghdad Breach Fragile Militia Truce

An Iraqi armored vehicle near the US Embassy in Baghdad (AFP)
An Iraqi armored vehicle near the US Embassy in Baghdad (AFP)
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Attacks in Baghdad Breach Fragile Militia Truce

An Iraqi armored vehicle near the US Embassy in Baghdad (AFP)
An Iraqi armored vehicle near the US Embassy in Baghdad (AFP)

A wave of coordinated attacks struck Baghdad in a sharp escalation of Iraq’s security tensions, pointing to a shift in armed factions’ tactics and signaling that an undeclared truce may have effectively collapsed, with the US’s “Victory Base” being among the targets.

The attacks began with a strike on the headquarters of Iraq’s Intelligence Service in the Mansour district. Security sources said the blast hit the communications tower and server systems inside the compound, killing two officers and wounding several personnel, some critically.

The Security Media Cell said a drone crashed inside the compound at 10:15 a.m., striking the communications tower, while air defenses moved quickly to engage it.

The Intelligence Service mourned one of its officers, describing the attack as a “terrorist” act carried out by outlaws. It said the strike was a failed attempt to disrupt its work and vowed to pursue those responsible and bring them to justice.

The repeated use of the term “terrorism” in official statements tied to attacks attributed to armed factions underscores rising friction between the government and these groups.

The escalation came two days before the end of a five-day truce announced by Kataib Hezbollah, which pledged not to target the US Embassy in Baghdad under mediation led by Supreme Judicial Council head Faiq Zaidan and National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji.

The understanding appeared limited to the embassy, excluding other locations such as logistical support facilities near Baghdad airport.

Sources said the United States did not provide a clear response to the truce conditions, while the US chargé d’affaires denied the presence of weapons at Victory Base, saying it serves as a diplomatic support center.

Violence also flared outside Baghdad. The Al-Haliwa military airport in Tuz Khurmatu, east of Salahuddin province, was hit in an attack marked by four explosions.

The site hosts units from the 4th Regiment of the 52nd Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces. Initial reports pointed to no casualties, but the PMF later said one of its fighters was killed and others wounded, describing the strike as a “Zionist-American bombardment.”

Security forces imposed a cordon and launched an investigation.

In a parallel development, Ashab al-Kahf claimed a drone attack on Victory Base, located near Baghdad’s international airport, warning civilians to stay away from areas hosting US presence and saying its operations would intensify.

The claim is significant, suggesting the truce has effectively ended, even without a formal announcement.

US sources say the site referred to as Victory Base has not been an official military base since 2011, when the complex was handed over to Iraqi authorities. It is now used as a diplomatic support facility rather than a standalone combat base.

The developments point to growing signs that armed factions are rotating roles in carrying out attacks to obscure responsibility and complicate attribution, particularly in Baghdad, where targets span government facilities and sites linked to the US presence.

The escalation comes against a wider regional backdrop. Since fighting erupted between Iran, the US and Israel on Feb. 28, Iraqi factions close to Tehran have stepped up attacks on diplomatic sites and military bases in Iraq and the Kurdistan region, drawing a series of US strikes in response.

On March 19, 2026, Hadi al-Amiri, head of the Badr Organization, accused the US and Israel of carrying out attacks on PMF positions and called on Iraqi authorities to take firm measures to prevent further strikes, as tensions show no sign of easing.

 

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Arab World

Lebanon to Transfer 129 Syrian Prisoners Next Week, Withholds Seven Over Security Concerns

Protesters in rural Homs last November demand the release of Syrian detainees held in Lebanese prisons (SANA). 
Protesters in rural Homs last November demand the release of Syrian detainees held in Lebanese prisons (SANA). 
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Lebanon to Transfer 129 Syrian Prisoners Next Week, Withholds Seven Over Security Concerns

Protesters in rural Homs last November demand the release of Syrian detainees held in Lebanese prisons (SANA). 
Protesters in rural Homs last November demand the release of Syrian detainees held in Lebanese prisons (SANA). 

Lebanon is set to transfer 129 convicted Syrian prisoners to Syrian authorities next week under a bilateral agreement signed in February, while withholding seven others pending further security reviews, a senior judicial source said.

The move reflects growing judicial and security cooperation between Beirut and Damascus after years of strained coordination. It also highlights Lebanon’s efforts to ease chronic prison overcrowding while ensuring that inmates deemed potential security risks are subjected to additional scrutiny before any transfer takes place.

The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that all legal procedures have been completed for the 129 prisoners, allowing them to be transferred to Syria to serve the remainder of their sentences. Seven other Syrian convicts have been excluded from the current transfer because their files contain security-related concerns that require further examination before a final decision is made on their status.

According to the source, Public Prosecutor Judge Ahmad Rami al-Hajj has completed his review of the lists of Syrian prisoners covered by the agreement and forwarded them to the Lebanese premiership for approval.

The Prime Minister’s Office is expected to issue a formal letter stating it has no objection to the names on the list, clearing the way for implementation.

Once that step is completed — likely within two or three days — the file will be referred to Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who will prepare and sign the final decision authorizing the transfer in accordance with the agreement.

The exact timing of the handover has not yet been determined. The source said the operation requires coordination among several security and administrative agencies.

After legal procedures are finalized, the Internal Security Forces will oversee the prisoners’ release from Lebanese jails and complete the necessary administrative and security paperwork. Lebanon’s General Security Directorate will then transport the prisoners to the Lebanese-Syrian border.

The prisoners will be handed over to a Syrian security team at the Masnaa border crossing in the Bekaa Valley under a mechanism agreed upon by the two countries.

The transfer program has become one of the most visible examples of renewed judicial cooperation between Lebanon and Syria. In March, Lebanon transferred 134 convicted Syrians, roughly a month after the agreement was signed, helping address cases that had remained unresolved for years.

The judicial source stressed that withholding some prisoners does not undermine or circumvent the agreement. Rather, it reflects the Lebanese authorities’ determination not to treat the matter as a purely administrative exercise.

Sensitive cases, particularly those involving security-related allegations or suspicions, require thorough judicial and security scrutiny, the source said.

The fate of the seven withheld prisoners will depend on the outcome of ongoing reviews and whether their cases warrant inclusion in a future third transfer or different legal measures.

 

 

Arab World

Hezbollah’s Call to Reshuffle Lebanese Govt Face Berri’s Opposition

Speaker Nabih Berri (Lebanese Parliament) 
Speaker Nabih Berri (Lebanese Parliament) 
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Hezbollah’s Call to Reshuffle Lebanese Govt Face Berri’s Opposition

Speaker Nabih Berri (Lebanese Parliament) 
Speaker Nabih Berri (Lebanese Parliament) 

Lebanese are awaiting the publication of the reported US-Iran memorandum of understanding to determine whether it contains any provisions relating to Lebanon.

The document is expected to settle competing interpretations promoted by rival political camps, each claiming its provisions serve their interests.

Attention is also focused on how Hezbollah would respond if the memorandum does not address an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and instead limits itself to calling for an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, while affirming the country’s sovereignty.

Such an outcome would contradict Hezbollah’s narrative that an Israeli withdrawal would be placed on the agenda of US-Iran talks, envisioned as a 60-day process that could be extended and potentially punctuated by further rounds of violence.

In its statement on the memorandum, Hezbollah stopped short of declaring victory and merely thanked Iran.

Opponents interpret this as an indication that the issue of Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon has been deferred to the fifth round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, scheduled for June 23–25 at both military and political levels under US auspices.

They argue this will increase pressure on Hezbollah to surrender its weapons, echoing recent domestic and international calls, including those contained in the final communiqué of the Group of Seven summit.

At the same time, observers say it remains to be seen whether the US is willing to pressure Israel to withdraw, particularly amid reports of President Donald Trump’s frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs and what critics describe as actions that complicated efforts to reach an understanding with Iran.

A Different Round of Negotiations

A cabinet source said the upcoming negotiations differ fundamentally from previous rounds because they come after the US-Iran understanding and amid a broader regional shift. According to the source, both Israel and Hezbollah will have to adapt to a new political reality.

The source argued that Hezbollah now faces a choice between changing its conduct or persisting in policies that, in the view of its critics, brought severe consequences for Lebanon through its support for Gaza and Iran.

The source maintained that Hezbollah no longer has the capacity to sustain a prolonged conflict and should instead align itself with the state’s diplomatic strategy and respond to demands from a majority of Lebanese for what was described as the “Lebanonization” of its political positions.

The same source said many domestic and international actors are counting on Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to persuade Hezbollah to reassess both its political and military options after what critics regard as a costly period for the country.

Weapons and Withdrawal

According to the source, negotiations remain the only viable path toward restoring stability in southern Lebanon. The envisioned framework would pair a phased Israeli withdrawal with a timetable under which Hezbollah would gradually place its weapons under state authority.

The source argued that recent developments have demonstrated the limits of Hezbollah’s military deterrence against further Israeli expansion.

The source also rejected suggestions that any US-Iran understanding would revive Iran’s influence in Lebanon or restore Hezbollah to the position it held before the Gaza war.

Dispute Over the Government

As Lebanon prepares for what many see as a new phase, a source close to the Shiite political alliance said Hezbollah is divided over how to deal with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government.

One faction, described as hardline, favors changing the government, while another believes current political conditions make such a move unrealistic because of parliamentary arithmetic and that priority should instead be given to securing an Israeli withdrawal and rebuilding devastated towns.

The source said opponents of changing the government view such a confrontation as a losing battle that would deepen Hezbollah’s isolation, strengthen support for the government, and reinforce the diplomatic approach pursued jointly by President Joseph Aoun and Salam.

The source added that Hezbollah currently needs international and Arab support for reconstruction and reconciliation with its own constituency more than it needs a political showdown.

Any effort to replace the government or reshuffle ministers, the source said, would first have to win over Berri, who has consistently called for national unity, reducing internal tensions, safeguarding civil peace, and preserving domestic stability in the face of Israel.

For that reason, he opposes attempts either to topple the government through street pressure or to seek its replacement.

 

 

 

 

 

Arab World

Yemeni Sources: Prosecutor Orders Freeze of Dissolved STC Funds

Supporters of the dissolved Southern Transitional Council at a previous protest in Aden (AP) 
Supporters of the dissolved Southern Transitional Council at a previous protest in Aden (AP) 
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Yemeni Sources: Prosecutor Orders Freeze of Dissolved STC Funds

Supporters of the dissolved Southern Transitional Council at a previous protest in Aden (AP) 
Supporters of the dissolved Southern Transitional Council at a previous protest in Aden (AP) 

The Yemeni government has escalated its measures against the dissolved Southern Transitional Council (STC), with the public prosecutor ordering a precautionary freeze on the group’s assets and bank accounts while the government simultaneously presses the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on its leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi.

According to informed sources cited by the Aden al-Ghad newspaper, Attorney General Judge Qaher Mustafa issued an order freezing all assets and bank accounts belonging to the dissolved STC held by banks, financial institutions, exchange companies and money-transfer businesses.

The move is part of efforts aimed at protecting public funds, combating corruption and money laundering, and restoring state control over financial and sovereign resources.

The order prohibits any disposal of the frozen funds, including withdrawals, transfers, assignments or other legal and financial transactions, pending the completion of investigations and further directives from the Public Prosecution or competent judicial authorities.

It also requires the Central Bank of Yemen, commercial and Islamic banks, financial institutions and exchange companies to implement the measures immediately and report any accounts, balances or assets linked to the entity under investigation.

The Public Prosecution said the action was based on what it described as sufficient preliminary indicators suggesting that the funds may be connected to matters currently under investigation. It stressed that the asset freeze is a temporary legal measure intended to preserve disputed funds until judicial proceedings are completed.

Earlier this year, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council removed al-Zubaidi from its membership and referred him to the attorney general on charges including “high treason aimed at undermining the independence of the republic” under Article 125 of the Crimes and Penalties Law, and harming the republic’s military, political and economic standing under Article 128.

The referral also accused him of forming an armed group, involvement in the killing of military officers and soldiers, exploiting and damaging the Southern cause through serious abuses against civilians and attacks on military installations, and engaging in sustained armed confrontations against government forces.

According to the decision, the charges further include violating the constitution and constitutional authorities under Articles 131 and 132 of the Crimes and Penalties Law, breaching national laws and infringing on the country’s sovereignty and independence.

The judicial action coincided with a diplomatic campaign by the Yemeni government, which urged the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on al-Zubaidi and add him to the UN sanctions list.

Yemen called on the council to regularly update sanctions lists to include individuals and entities accused of undermining state institutions or attempting to impose political or military realities by force outside constitutional and legal frameworks.

The request was made during a Security Council session on developments in Yemen. Yemen’s permanent representative said the government was prepared to cooperate fully with the United Nations and the sanctions committee and provide any additional information or documentation needed to support international accountability efforts.

The government accuses al-Zubaidi of leading unilateral political and military actions that weakened state institutions, obstructed efforts to unify security and military command structures, threatened domestic stability and hindered political settlement efforts.