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Iraqi National Intelligence Service Threatens to Sue ‘Asaib Ahl al-Haq’ Leader

Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali
Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali
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Iraqi National Intelligence Service Threatens to Sue ‘Asaib Ahl al-Haq’ Leader

Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali
Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali

Iraqi intelligence, led by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, on Monday slammed “harmful” statements made by a militia leader who accused the service of becoming run by a foreign security team.

Qais al-Khazali, Secretary-General of the Iranian-backed militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq, claimed in a tweet on Sunday that he had reliable information that Iraq had brought in an Emirati security team to manage the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, after the transfer of 300 members of the intelligence service, including officers, to the border authority.

Without naming Khazali, the intelligence service hit back at what they labeled as misinformation.

“The Iraqi National Intelligence Service regrets that it has to respond and clarify such unjust accusations from some political and media groups based on completely false information,” read a statement from the service released on Monday.

The service also affirmed it will be reserving its legal right to sue any party seeking to undermine the integrity of its affiliates.

Headed by Kadhimi, the service stated that the unfair statements are “harmful for the reputation of the agency and the patriotism of its officers and employees.”

The statement added that the administrative procedure of transferring the members was in response to the request of the Border Ports Committee, which needs the support of more security staff.

“Human resources at the Iraqi National Intelligence Service play a major role in earning national respect for the agency’s civility, discipline, professionalism, and patriotism,” national security expert Hussein Allawi told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He added that the service undertakes high-performance tasks such as combating espionage, confronting subversive groups that threaten national security, dismantling terrorist groups, and fighting organized crime.

“One of the primary tasks of the service is to face foreign threats,” noted Allawi.

More so, Allawi explained that the service is responsible for protecting Iraqi diplomatic cables and ensure the safety and smooth flow of civil and military missions carried abroad.

“Relocating members of the intelligence service to the border authority fulfills the national mission for protecting and developing border crossings, which are a vital part of Iraq’s security,” he said.

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Israel Strikes Hezbollah's 'Radwan Force' Deep Inside Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley

Smoke rises over Baalbek, Hezbollah stronghold near Syria border – AFP
Smoke rises over Baalbek, Hezbollah stronghold near Syria border – AFP
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Israel Strikes Hezbollah's 'Radwan Force' Deep Inside Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley

Smoke rises over Baalbek, Hezbollah stronghold near Syria border – AFP
Smoke rises over Baalbek, Hezbollah stronghold near Syria border – AFP

Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes on eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley on Tuesday, targeting Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force in what Israeli officials described as an effort to disrupt the group’s attempts to rebuild its military capabilities.

The strikes, which followed more than 48 hours of relative calm along the Lebanese-Israeli border, marked a sharp escalation as US-brokered negotiations continue between Washington and Beirut over proposals to curb Hezbollah’s armed presence.

Military analysts said the Israeli escalation appeared aimed at sending a forceful message as US envoy Tom Barrack pushes Lebanese authorities to accept a timeline for the group's disarmament under a potential ceasefire framework.

Israeli warplanes struck targets in both the eastern and western mountain ranges of the Bekaa Valley, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Two initial raids hit areas west of Baalbek- Shmistar and Wadi Umm Ali - followed by more strikes southeast of the city.

NNA reported that 12 people were killed in the bombardment, while Reuters confirmed that five of the dead were Hezbollah members. Local media said Syrian nationals were among those killed in strikes near Hermel.

Footage shared online showed plumes of smoke rising from bombed-out sites across the Bekaa. Shrapnel shattered windows at a public high school in Shmistar where students were sitting for state exams, and a revered religious shrine - Maqam al-Nabi Ismail in Brital - was reportedly damaged. Two civilians were wounded.

In its first official response, Hezbollah condemned the airstrikes as a “major escalation” in Israel’s months-long military campaign against Lebanon. The Iran-backed group urged the Lebanese state to “break its futile silence” and called for immediate international intervention, particularly from the United States, to uphold existing ceasefire guarantees.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the strikes were intended as a “clear message” to Hezbollah, accusing the group of attempting to restore its operational capabilities along the border.

In a statement posted on X, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the air raids targeted Hezbollah’s Radwan force in the Bekaa, including training camps and weapons depots.

He added that militants had been conducting live-fire exercises and tactical drills at the sites, which he called a “flagrant violation” of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.

According to Adraee, the Radwan unit - tasked in the past with a plan to seize territory in northern Israel - has been attempting to regroup since several of its senior commanders were killed in Israeli strikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon in September 2024.

In contrast to the Bekaa, the situation along southern Lebanon remained relatively stable on Tuesday, though NNA reported that Israeli troops fired machine guns toward the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab and shot at the newly established Blat Hill position overlooking the village of Rmaich.

Retired Lebanese Brig. Gen. Hassan Jouni said the Bekaa raids were part of a “calibrated pressure campaign” tied to the ongoing negotiations.

“The timing of these airstrikes is clearly linked to the back-and-forth between Lebanon and Washington. Israel wants to remind everyone of the current balance of power and signal that military pressure will continue until Hezbollah gives up its weapons,” Jouni told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

He said Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild its capabilities had been publicly acknowledged by the group’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, placing the Lebanese government in a difficult position between appeasing US demands and avoiding internal strife.

Another retired officer, Brigadier General George Nader, warned that Israel’s message was clear: failure to cooperate with US proposals could lead to intensified strikes.

“While some speculate about a ground invasion, I find it unlikely,” Nader told Asharq al-Awsat. “Why would Israel risk soldiers’ lives when it can strike targets from the air with precision drones and jets?”

He cautioned that unless Lebanese officials take a decisive stance, the country could face a more aggressive Israeli air campaign in the coming weeks.