The United States has reportedly given Israel a green light to operate against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, lifting previous restrictions on Israeli Air Force operations in Iraqi airspace as the war with Iran continues to reshape the region. According to a report Monday by the Emirati news outlet Erem News, citing Western sources, Washington removed operational restrictions that had previously limited Israeli activity over Iraq, potentially clearing the way for strikes against Tehran-backed militias operating inside the country.
3+The report said the IDF and Mossad have completed preparations for possible operations aimed at preventing the militias from further entrenching themselves in Iraq and threatening Israel. A central Israeli objective would reportedly be disrupting the Iranian supply corridor running through Iraq toward Lebanon. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has long used routes through Iraq to move weapons, including missiles and drones, as well as funding and logistical support to Tehran-backed forces across the region.
3+Washington is also reportedly preparing for the possibility that Iran-backed militias could retaliate against American forces or interests in the Middle East if Israel launches operations inside Iraq. According to the report, the United States has committed to strengthening defensive capabilities in the region in preparation for a potential escalation. The development comes days after the completion of the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq. Approximately 2,500 American troops had previously been stationed in the country, primarily in advisory and training roles. The withdrawal has intensified concerns over the growing influence of Iran-backed armed factions inside Iraq.
3+Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said today that five armed factions have agreed to surrender their weapons and three have already handed them over, while negotiations continue with other factions. The announcement comes after the original September deadline for disarmament passed and several of the harder-line Iran-aligned groups rejected disarmament. Hence, Baghdad is simultaneously trying to bring militias under state control while some of the most powerful Tehran-aligned factions remain armed. Just yesterday, Iran-backed militias paraded in Baghdad following the U.S. withdrawal, with vehicles driving over American and Israeli flags; the Iraqi government subsequently ordered an investigation and said those responsible for desecrating the U.S. flag had been arrested.
3+Nujaba military deputy Abdul Qader al-Karbalai called the arrests a “dangerous precedent that cannot be ignored” and demanded the detainees’ immediate release, while accusing the U.S. of killing thousands of Iraqis and violating the country’s sovereignty. Al-Kaabi then posted footage of himself walking over U.S. and Israeli flags — underscoring the challenge Baghdad faces as it claims Iran-backed factions are beginning to surrender their weapons.
The reported shift in Washington’s position could give Israel significantly greater operational freedom against Tehran’s network in Iraq at a particularly volatile point in the Iran war. Neither the United States nor Israel has officially confirmed the reported authorization.