Baghdad Escalates Against Militias Amid Potential War with Israel

US forces in Iraq (Reuters)
US forces in Iraq (Reuters)
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Baghdad Escalates Against Militias Amid Potential War with Israel

US forces in Iraq (Reuters)
US forces in Iraq (Reuters)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has revealed ongoing talks with the US to prevent Iraq from becoming a war zone.

Meanwhile, the “Iraqi Resistance Coordination” announced it will retaliate if the US uses Iraqi airspace to attack Iran.

The group, which hasn’t named its factions, made the threat following a recent attack on the Ain Al-Asad airbase by an unknown faction. The attack with two rockets injured several US soldiers.

It also follows a series of communications between Baghdad and Washington aimed at avoiding escalation and preventing a full-scale war in the wake of Iran’s threats to avenge the killing of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month.

Baghdad has ramped up its actions against armed factions in its strongest stance since Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced talks with the international coalition in February, which led to a ceasefire between the factions and US forces.

Hussein emphasized that the US has assured Iraq it will not strike unless provoked and that Iraq wants to avoid turning into a battleground.

“The Americans have officially informed us that they will not strike unless attacked,” said Hussein in a televised interview on Sunday evening.

“The Americans are not our enemies; we have historical and strategic relations with them,” stressed the minister.

Despite this, some Iran-aligned Iraqi factions view the US as an enemy, as shown by recent anti-US and anti-Israel signs in Baghdad.

The Resistance Coordination’s statement undermines the recent ceasefire and suggests Iraq might officially enter the conflict if Iran attacks Israel and Israel retaliates.

Washington has not yet commented on the recent attack at Ain Al-Asad, but it has expressed concern and warned of potential consequences for future incidents.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently spoke with al-Sudani about avoiding escalation.

Iraqi authorities are investigating the attack on Ain Al-Asad and have arrested suspects for questioning.



Israeli Strikes Kill 17 Palestinians in Gaza, Orders Hospital to Evacuate

Bodies of victims of an Israeli airstrike at the Nuseirat refugee camp are prepared for the funeral prayer outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Bodies of victims of an Israeli airstrike at the Nuseirat refugee camp are prepared for the funeral prayer outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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Israeli Strikes Kill 17 Palestinians in Gaza, Orders Hospital to Evacuate

Bodies of victims of an Israeli airstrike at the Nuseirat refugee camp are prepared for the funeral prayer outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Bodies of victims of an Israeli airstrike at the Nuseirat refugee camp are prepared for the funeral prayer outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 17 Palestinians, eight of them at a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City, medics said, as the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of a hospital in the north.
Palestinian medics said eight people, including children, were killed in the Musa Bin Nusayr School that sheltered displaced families in Gaza City.
The Israeli military said in a statement the strike targeted Hamas groups operating from a command center embedded inside the school. It said Hamas used the place to plan and execute attacks against Israeli forces.
Also in Gaza City, medics said four Palestinians were killed when an airstrike hit a car.
At least five other Palestinians were killed in two separate airstrikes in Rafah and Khan Younis south of the enclave.
In the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, where the army has operated since October, Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said the army ordered staff to evacuate the hospital and move patients and injured people toward another hospital in the area.
Abu Safiya said the mission was "next to impossible" because staff did not have ambulances to move the patients.
The Israeli army has operated in the two towns of north Gaza, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, as well as the nearby Jabalia camp for nearly three months.
Palestinians have accused Israel of carrying out acts of "ethnic cleansing" to depopulate those areas to create a buffer zone.
Israel denies this and says the campaign in the area aimed to fight Hamas and prevent them from regrouping. It said its forces have killed hundreds of fighters and dismantled military infrastructure since that operation began.
Armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said they killed many Israeli soldiers in ambushes during the same period.
Mediators have yet to secure a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas group.
Sources close to the discussions told Reuters on Thursday that Qatar and Egypt had been able to resolve some differences between the warring parties but sticking points remained.
Israel began its assault on Gaza after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel says about 100 hostages are still being held, but it is unclear how many are alive.
Authorities in Gaza say Israel's campaign has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians and displaced most of the population of 2.3 million. Much of the coastal enclave is in ruins.