Armed Iraqi factions have taken “swift” precautions on the ground in anticipation of a potential strike by the United States in retaliation to attacks on American forces deployed in the region.
Some pro-Iran factions evacuated their positions and even replaced the vehicles they use to try to throw off any surveillance.
Iraqi sources on the ground told Asharq Al-Awsat that an air of tense anticipation has prevailed among the factions, including the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
Orders have been made to field commanders to exercise “great caution,” they revealed.
Politico reported on Tuesday that US President Joe Biden had asked his aides to present options for a retaliation to the attack on American forces on a base on the Syrian-Jordanian border that left three servicemen dead, said American officials on condition of anonymity.
The options include attacks on Iranian targets in Syria or Iraq and Iranian vessels in the Arab Gulf, reported the Arab World Press.
The sources said the factions have dispersed their fighters from their usual positions, barred them from using mobile phones from inside their bases and told them to use civilian vehicles for their movement.
They predicted that the US strikes may target buildings used by the al-Nujaba movement, Kataib Hezbollah, and, to a lesser degree, the Badr organization.
Kataib Hezbollah announced later on Tuesday that it was suspending attacks on American forces in Iraq.
Three informed Iraqi sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that political forces have for a week now been trying to come up with a way to approach the American warning.
A powerful Shiite party within the pro-Iran Coordination Framework had tried to persuade the armed factions to ease their escalation against the US forces, they went on to say.
They said the attacks must cease and if they are necessary, then the target must be Israel and that the attacks must be carried out from outside Iraq.
The factions have so far dismissed the demand, they stated.
Some members of the Framework believe that taking a step back from the attacks would be seen as a political gain for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, said the sources.
