Iraqi armed groups declare readiness to fight Israel if Lebanon war breaks out

Iran-aligned armed factions in Iraq have placed their weapons on high alert amidst a tense regional situation, due to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and the looming threat of an escalating confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah along the Lebanese border.

Iran has warned Israel of a "war of annihilation" with the "full participation of the Axis of Resistance," which includes Tehran and its regional allies, in the event that the Israeli state launches a "wide-scale" attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Iraqi factions, under the banner of the "Islamic Resistance" in Iraq, carried out over 175 rocket and drone attacks in Iraq and Syria last winter against the Washington-led international coalition forces, declaring that their attacks were in solidarity with Gaza and specifically targeting US soldiers.

Political analyst Ali Al-Baidar says that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah will not be confined to Lebanese territory, explaining that "there are armed factions in Iraq and throughout the region that will enter the confrontation."

He adds, "Armed groups in Iraq and the region will intervene for two reasons: First, their desire to prove themselves, and second, to demonstrate their loyalty to a particular side."

Indeed, Iraqi armed factions have criticized the steadfast US support for Israel, warning in a statement by the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee that a "full-scale war on Lebanon" would escalate their operations.

The statement clarified that "if the Zionists carry out their threat, the pace and quality of operations against them will escalate, and the interests of the criminal American enemy in Iraq and the region will be legitimate targets for the resistance men."

This coordination group includes several prominent factions, including Kata'ib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, three factions targeted by US sanctions that have led attacks against the international anti-jihadist coalition in recent months.

 

AFP