Militias count 171 US airspace breaches

Ordinary Iraqis now face a sharper divide between Baghdad and armed factions, as Iran-backed militias have released a new list of alleged US incursions into their airspace. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organization for several pro-Iran groups, stated that American fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft entered Iraqi airspace 171 times between September 30 and Friday. These figures were not independently verified, but the count has intensified friction between the government and the groups it aims to disarm.

The timeline of these tensions began with the formal end of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition’s military mission in Iraq on September 30. Following that withdrawal, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi moved to consolidate power by bringing militia weapons under state control. Several powerful factions rejected the initiative, leading to a standoff that has persisted through October. The militias argue that Baghdad is appeasing Washington by closing border crossings with Iran and reducing commercial flights.

The situation is currently defined by a split among the armed groups. Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba remain opposed to disarmament, while Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada have expressed willingness to cooperate with government measures. Zaidi has extended the deadline for full disarmament to June 30, 2027. He stated in an interview with Iraqi state media that by that date, no weapons will remain outside the framework of the state.

US officials are watching the regional security picture closely. On Saturday, the US Embassy in Iraq updated its travel advisory, maintaining a warning against all travel to the country. The State Department cited the threat of increased attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have struck Saudi civilian airports and critical infrastructure. The advisory noted that the Iraqi government cannot guarantee the safety of US citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence. It specifically identified airports, energy infrastructure, hotels, and diplomatic facilities as potential targets for drones, indirect fire, and improvised explosive devices.

Washington is also adjusting its diplomatic posture in the region. A memorandum dated Friday from US National Intelligence Director Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that some alleged Iranian plots to assassinate American diplomats had reached advanced stages. This intelligence has prompted the reduction of staffing at several embassies. The warning comes as the US State Department highlights that terrorists, including ISIS and Iran-aligned militias, continue to conduct attacks against American persons and interests in Iraq.

Regional military activity has also intensified. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported on Saturday that it targeted a gathering center of the Kurdistan Free Life Party, an Iranian Kurdish opposition group, within Iran. Clashes between the IRGC and the party’s armed wing have intensified over the last week, with Iran using drones and artillery against mountainous areas. The group, known as the Eastern Kurdistan Units, operates in regions that share borders with Iraq, raising concerns about spillover effects.

Zaidi continues to insist that his government will end the presence of armed factions operating outside state control. In an interview quoted by Rudaw on Friday, he said that Iraq will soon be a state free of factions, like other countries in the world, and weapons will be exclusively in the hands of the Iraqi security forces. The next scheduled milestone for this transition remains the extended deadline of June 30, 2027.