Suspension of attacks: Why did the Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah halt its attacks on US forces?

3^min

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

From now on, scenes of drones launched by the Iraqi Kata'ib Hezbollah against US bases in Iraq and Syria may become a thing of the past. The Iraqi Kata'ib Hezbollah announced the suspension of their attacks on US bases, emphasizing their commitment to defending Gaza through alternative means.

Kata'ib Hezbollah, integral to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and backed by Iran, was accused of killing US soldiers in Jordan last Sunday, prompting Washington to declare its intent to retaliate.

Kata'ib Hezbollah justified the suspension of attacks against the US presence in the region by stating that they did not want to embarrass the Iraqi government and claimed that Iran was unaware of their jihadist activities despite previous objections to their attacks.

The Iraqi government, currently in negotiations with the US over the future of the international coalition against ISIS in Iraq, emphasized its commitment to the safety of international coalition advisors and preventing escalation during the negotiation phase.

Did the potential embarrassment of the Iraqi government indeed lead the Kata'ib Hezbollah to suspend their attacks, or are there underlying Iranian pressures?

Reports have surfaced about talks held by Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani in Iraq, aiming to de-escalate tensions.

According to some observers, several unconfirmed messages have been exchanged between Washington and Tehran in recent days through an unidentified mediator. The content suggests that both parties are not interested in expanding the war, with Iran's UN representative denying any such communication.

Given these circumstances, attention now turns to the anticipated US response to the Jordanian attack—its form, strength, and how other Iran-affiliated factions, particularly the Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba who are conducting the attacks, will behave.

Will the cessation of attacks be a unified stance among all Iran-backed factions in Iraq and Syria?

The situation remains fluid, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights indicating that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has instructed its affiliated groups in Syria to halt military activities against US bases.