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.
