Relations between Baghdad and Washington have entered a more tense phase after the US embassy issued sharp security warnings and questioned Iraq’s ability to prevent attacks on American interests.
The US embassy in Baghdad said Thursday that Iran-aligned Iraqi militias could carry out attacks in central Baghdad within 24 to 48 hours, urging US citizens to leave Iraq immediately.
It said potential attacks could target Americans and US-linked interests, including companies, universities, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, and airports.
The warning came a day after the State Department announced a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the identification of those responsible for attacks on US diplomatic facilities in Iraq.
In a separate statement issued hours earlier, the embassy said the Iraqi government “has not been able to prevent terrorist attacks” taking place inside Iraq or launched from its territory, referring to repeated incidents targeting the US embassy in Baghdad, the consulate general in Erbil, and a diplomatic support center in the capital.
It further noted that certain members of armed groups may possess identification documents indicating employment with the Iraqi government, suggesting potential institutional affiliations or official cover, though no additional details were provided.
The escalation comes less than a week after Iraq’s Joint Operations Command and US officials reaffirmed their commitment to keeping Iraq out of the ongoing regional conflict. They stressed that Iraqi territory, airspace, and territorial waters should not be used to threaten Iraq or neighboring countries.
At the same time, airstrikes targeted sites belonging to armed factions in Anbar and Nineveh provinces.
Local sources in Anbar said a US strike hit the headquarters of the Tribal Popular Mobilization Forces’ 57th Brigade in Haditha, west of the province. No immediate official toll on damage or casualties was released.
In Nineveh, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said a site belonging to the 38th Regiment of the 58th Brigade under Nineveh Operations Command was struck in Qayyarah, south of Mosul, with no casualties reported.
The PMF said the strike occurred at 11:30 a.m., adding it came less than 24 hours after another site in the same province was targeted. Earlier Thursday, it reported a double airstrike targeting the 4th Regiment of the 14th Brigade, also without casualties.
The repeated targeting of these sites in a short period point to a widening military escalation, coinciding with US warnings of possible attacks in Baghdad and underscoring growing security risks.
Politically, the State Administration Coalition — which includes Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish parties in government — rejected “any violation of the country’s sovereignty under any pretext” and reiterated its refusal to allow Iraqi territory to be used to launch attacks on other states, particularly neighbors.
It also condemned attacks on state institutions, diplomatic missions, and vital facilities, voicing support for government and judicial efforts to enforce the law and restore stability.
Analysts say the combination of airstrikes and US warnings could increase pressure on Baghdad to take a clearer stance on armed factions and attacks originating from Iraqi territory.
A former Iraqi government adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the embassy warning “signals declining confidence in Baghdad’s ability to take decisive action against armed groups.”
He said US policy had shifted “from giving the government room to maneuver to exerting direct pressure” to adopt a clearer position, warning that continued ambiguity could lead to further political and security pressure on Iraq.
