Katyusha Rocket Targets Baghdad Int’l Airport, Security Operations Kick Off

Weapons that were found by the Rapid Response Forces in Maysan Governorate, Iraq ( Iraqi Security Media Cell)
Weapons that were found by the Rapid Response Forces in Maysan Governorate, Iraq ( Iraqi Security Media Cell)
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Katyusha Rocket Targets Baghdad Int’l Airport, Security Operations Kick Off

Weapons that were found by the Rapid Response Forces in Maysan Governorate, Iraq ( Iraqi Security Media Cell)
Weapons that were found by the Rapid Response Forces in Maysan Governorate, Iraq ( Iraqi Security Media Cell)

Iraq witnessed a series of security events across multiple governorates on Thursday. The events included the targeting of the Baghdad International Airport with a Katyusha rocket.

Also, the Iraqi security forces launched an anti-terrorism and gun control operations in four Iraqi governorates dubbed ‘Al-Waad Al-Sadiq’.

“A security operation was launched in Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineveh governorates,” the spokesman for the Joint Operations Command Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji told the Iraqi state news agency.

Security operations also continued in Maysan, Al Muthanna, Saladin and Basra governorates in southern Iraq.

Meanwhile, armed militias continued targeting of military camps, the Baghdad International Airport and logistics supply convoys belonging to the US-led International Coalition.

Katyusha rocket fell in the vicinity of Baghdad airport but caused no casualties, Iraq state news agency INA said on Thursday, the second such attack on the airport this week.

On Sunday, three Katyusha rockets landed within the perimeter of the airport. One of them landed on an airport garage, damaging four civilian vehicles without causing casualties.

Baghdad airport and other locations, including the US embassy and military bases that house US troops and diplomats, have been the target of frequent missile attacks since last year.

Washington blames armed Iraqi factions linked to Iran for the attacks targeting its embassy and military bases where US soldiers are deployed.

In other news, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi arrived in Erbil on Thursday morning to meet with top Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials.

Kadhimi’s visit to the Kurdistan region will focus on discussing the national budget, areas of disputes, the Peshmerga, and borders.

A statement issued by Kadhimi's office quoted him as saying: “The sovereignty unites us as Iraqis and we cannot neglect it”, indicating that, “the opportunity is now available to strengthen joint action, provide the best effort that serves the Iraqi people, and hold elections in a way that expresses the Iraqi's real choices”.

President of the Kurdistan Regional Government Masrour Barzani, for his part, expressed appreciation for the Iraqi PM's visit, stressing the region's readiness to make efforts in reforming and resolving the outstanding issues between the federal government and the regional government.



Hamas Says it Accepts New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

Palestinians sit amid rubble of houses, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Palestinians sit amid rubble of houses, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
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Hamas Says it Accepts New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

Palestinians sit amid rubble of houses, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Palestinians sit amid rubble of houses, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip March 29, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled

Hamas said Saturday it has accepted a new Gaza ceasefire proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar, but Israel said it has made a counter-proposal in “full coordination” with the third mediator, the United States.

Egypt early in the week made a proposal to get the troubled ceasefire back on track, following Israel’s surprise resumption of fighting. It was not immediately clear whether the proposal changed before Khalil al-Hayyah, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, announced it had been accepted.

Early in the week, an Egyptian official described the proposal to The Associated Press, saying Hamas would release five living hostages, including an American-Israeli, from Gaza in return for Israel allowing aid into the territory and a weekslong pause in fighting. Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

On Saturday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave no details about Israel’s counter-proposal, which it said was offered after Netanyahu held consultations on Friday.

Israel a week and a half ago ended its ceasefire with Hamas by launching a surprise wave of strikes that killed hundreds of people. The White House blamed Hamas for the renewed fighting.

Israel has vowed to escalate the war until Hamas returns the 59 hostages it still holds — 24 of them believed to be alive. Israel also wants Hamas to give up power, disarm and send its leaders into exile. On Saturday, Israel widened its ground operations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Frustrated by the threat to remaining hostages in Gaza, families and others rallied again Saturday evening to call for a deal that would bring everyone home.