An Iraqi government military spokesperson said Tuesday that authorities have so far detected no launches of attacks from inside Iraq toward neighboring countries. He added that officials are working to pursue the parties responsible for carrying out drone attacks in various areas of Iraq.
In recent days, Iraq has witnessed a series of drone attacks targeting military sites, including Erbil International Airport and Harir Air Base in the Kurdistan Region, which hosts forces from the U.S.-led international coalition. A military base near Baghdad International Airport has also been subjected to repeated drone strikes.
Armed factions loyal to Tehran have claimed responsibility for these attacks, as well as for others they said targeted military bases in the Middle East, in an escalation that coincided with the outbreak of conflict between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other.
In an exclusive interview with Alhurra, Iraqi military spokesperson Sabah al-Numan said that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, had stressed the need to “confine weapons to the hands of the state” and to prevent the use of Iraqi territory to threaten any neighboring country, as well as to ensure that Iraq does not serve as a launchpad for external threats.
Regarding the recent attacks, al-Numan explained that “there are no final results from the investigations so far,” confirming that rockets had indeed fallen, but that it would be premature to determine whether the attacks were external or launched from inside Iraq.
Al-Numan said there are “strict instructions and orders from the Prime Minister to follow up on this matter,” adding that senior security leadership is monitoring developments and working to pursue those responsible. He said the investigations are ongoing at a high level and that results will be announced soon, with necessary measures to be taken against the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, sites affiliated with armed factions in the provinces of Babil, Baghdad, Kirkuk, and other areas were subjected to airstrikes of unknown origin. Security sources reported that weapons depots and logistical headquarters in areas such as Jurf al-Sakhar and on the outskirts of the capital were targeted.
No party has claimed responsibility for these strikes, and no official statements have confirmed the identity of the perpetrator, amid rising speculation that Israel or other actors may be behind some of the operations within the context of the open war with Iran.
The Iraqi government now faces a dual challenge: preventing factions from carrying out attacks that could drag the country into a direct confrontation, while at the same time preventing its territory from being turned into a battleground for regional score-settling through airstrikes beyond the state’s control.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani said in a statement that “the state, through its institutions, alone possesses the authority to decide matters of war and peace,” adding that the government will firmly confront any party attempting to drag Iraq into entanglement in conflicts.
Sabah al-Numan said Iraqi forces are at the highest levels of readiness and are capable of ensuring security stability and preserving the “security gains” achieved over recent years.
Baghdad is attempting to maintain a delicate balance in its relations with both Washington and Tehran, at a time when it hosts U.S. forces as part of the international coalition while simultaneously maintaining close political and security ties with Iran.
As the war between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other expands, concerns are mounting that Iraq could become a theater of conflict if the state fails to control unchecked weapons and prevent reciprocal attacks on its territory.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
Ghassan Taqi
A journalist specializing in Iraqi affairs, he has worked with the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) since 2015. He previously spent several years with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, as well as various Iraqi and Arab media outlets.
