Latest news with #AbuAlaaal-Walai
Shafaq News
a day ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq's neutrality tested as Iran-Israel tensions mount
Shafaq News/ Israel's latest strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities—carried out under Operation Rising Lion—have killed senior IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists, unleashing a wave of tension that places Iraq squarely in the fallout zone. As Tehran prepares its response, signs of Iraq's vulnerability are already visible. Unconfirmed explosions were reported in Baghdad and Saladin as the attacks echoed through Tehran and Natanz. Iraqi airspace was briefly closed, and flights were grounded, reflecting the region's growing volatility. Dr. Ihsan al-Shammari, head of the Political Thinking Center, said these developments confirm that 'Iraq is squarely part of the response geography.' Any Iranian retaliation—whether through direct strikes or allied armed groups—is expected to involve Iraqi territory in some form. Iran-aligned factions operating inside Iraq add another layer of risk. Groups like Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada have openly declared their readiness to target US interests if a wider war erupts. Its leader, Abu Alaa al-Walai, announced that 'hundreds of martyrdom-seekers' are prepared to act. These statements deepen Baghdad's crisis of sovereignty. 'The government is powerless to fully control these factions,' al-Shammari warns, especially if retaliation plans are shaped outside official Iraqi institutions. The United States, for its part, authorized the voluntary departure of military families from bases across the region, including in Iraq. Dr. Firas Elias, professor of international relations, interprets the move as 'a clear signal that Washington anticipates a ground-level response from Iraqi soil.' He urges Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to adopt a firm national stance to distance Iraq from the confrontation before events escalate beyond control. Al-Sudani, in a statement on Thursday, reaffirmed Iraq's position, 'We reject the use of our territory for score-settling,' he said, calling for restraint and renewed diplomacy. However, Iraqi officials privately concede growing concerns over their ability to secure embassies and foreign missions should the conflict intensify. Elsewhere in the 'Axis of Resistance,' reactions remain fragmented. Hezbollah has yet to respond to recent Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a silence analysts say may reflect a wait-and-see posture until Iran clarifies its next move. In contrast, Yemen's Houthi movement has already pledged alignment. 'We will never abandon Iran in the face of American or Israeli aggression,' said senior Ansarallah official Abdullah al-Nuami. Iraq's position is more precarious. The Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee (IRCC), a coalition of Tehran-backed factions, is preparing for an emergency meeting to determine its role should a regional war erupt. Early indications suggest that consensus is building toward intervention if Iran comes under sustained attack. With its skies tense and some armed forces signaling readiness, the question remains whether Baghdad can hold its fragile balance, or whether it will once again be drawn into a conflict it neither initiated nor controls.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
US citizens in MENA warned: Major confrontation brewing
Shafaq News/ On Thursday, the United States urged its citizens across the Middle East and North Africa to remain 'extremely vigilant' due to rising tensions with Iran. The State Department issued the alert as President Donald Trump reiterated that Tehran must not acquire nuclear weapons. 'There's a major confrontation brewing, and it may happen soon,' he warned. In response to rising instability, the Pentagon approved voluntary evacuations for families of US military personnel and non-essential diplomatic staff in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain. A senior defense official told Shafaq News that US Central Command is closely monitoring the region, emphasizing that personnel safety remains a top priority. These precautionary moves follow a sharp escalation in regional military dynamics, as Iran accelerates uranium enrichment, and increases ballistic missile output to 50 per month since October—an attempt, US officials believe, to overwhelm Israeli air defenses. Meanwhile, in Iraq, Iran-aligned factions are preparing for potential retaliation. A source within the Resistance Coordination Committee told Shafaq News that any Israeli strike on Iran would trigger direct military involvement by armed groups. Faction leaders have reinforced this stance with explicit threats, including Abu Alaa al-Walai, Secretary-General of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, who warned that 'dozens of martyrdom operations' would target US interests if hostilities erupt.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi armed group threatens US with suicide attacks over Iran standoff
Shafaq News/ Waves of suicide attackers will be dispatched to target US interests if war breaks out between Iran and the United States, warned Abu Alaa al-Walai, Secretary-General of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, an Iran-aligned Iraqi Shiite armed group. In a statement widely circulated on social media, al-Walai declared, 'Hundreds of martyrdom-seekers will be ready. The United States' pride will be humiliated again, just as it was the first time in Iraq when it left in disgrace.' He added, 'This time, the US and its agents will have no place left in the Middle East. Regimes that once relied on the occupation [the US] will fall, and victory will belong to God and His faithful servants.' The threats come as regional tensions escalate following Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh's warning that Iran would target US bases in the region if a conflict erupts over nuclear negotiations. In response to the growing risks, the US Department of Defense confirmed yesterday that it has authorized the voluntary departure of military families from multiple locations under the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which includes Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries. 'The safety and security of our service members and their families remain a top priority,' a Pentagon official told Shafaq News. 'CENTCOM continues to monitor rising tensions in the region.'
