Iraq to Redeploy Federal Forces Along Border with Iran, Türkiye

Members of the Iraqi army - File Photo/AFP
Members of the Iraqi army - File Photo/AFP
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Iraq to Redeploy Federal Forces Along Border with Iran, Türkiye

Members of the Iraqi army - File Photo/AFP
Members of the Iraqi army - File Photo/AFP

Iraq announced on Wednesday it planned to redeploy federal guards along its border with Iran and Türkiye, after repeated bombardments from both neighboring countries against Kurdish, Turkish and Iranian rebel groups in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region.

The announcement appeared to respond in particular to Iran, which had publicly urged such a move.

Authorities have decided to "establish a plan to redeploy Iraqi border guards... along the border with Iran and Türkiye", a statement said, issued after a government security meeting overseen by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

The initiative will be "in coordination with the government of the Kurdistan region and the peshmerga ministry", the statement added, referring to the Kurdish regional forces whose chief was also present at the meeting.

On Wednesday, Lawk Ghafuri, head of foreign media relations in Kurdistan, also told AFP that the "Kurdistan regional government will be sending peshmerga forces as reinforcement at the border".



Israel Carries Out Intense Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon, 1 Dead

Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes near Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes near Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
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Israel Carries Out Intense Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon, 1 Dead

Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes near Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes near Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on June 27, 2025. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)

Israel’s air force carried out intense airstrikes on mountains overlooking a southern Lebanon city on Friday in an attack that the Israeli military said targeted Hezbollah underground assets.

The airstrikes came in two waves on the mountains overlooking Nabatiyeh and bunker buster bombs were used, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported. There was no immediate information about casualties.

Since the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in November, Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes on southern Lebanon. Friday’s strikes were more intense than usual.

The Israeli military said in a statement that its fighter jets struck a site used by Hezbollah to manage its fire and defense array in the area and is part of a significant underground project that was completely taken out of use.

The Israeli army said it identified rehabilitation attempts by Hezbollah beforehand and struck infrastructure sites in the area.

There was no comment from Hezbollah.

An Israeli drone also targeted on Friday an apartment in a two-story building in Nabatiyeh.

Lebanon's health ministry said a woman was killed and 11 other people were wounded in the strike.

"The Israeli enemy strike on an apartment in Nabatiyeh led to a preliminary toll of one woman killed and 11 people wounded," the ministry said in a statement carried by the official National News Agency.