Iraq

Iran-backed Militias Call for a Siege on U.S. Embassy in Iraq 

On Friday, Iraqi security forces maintained a visible presence near the U.S. Embassy in Iraq—with more than 3,000 security personnel arriving on the scene—amid calls by Iran-backed militias to demonstrate near the embassy over reports that the U.S. government was planning to target militia leaders over their threats to U.S. interests. Some Telegram channels even called for sieges. There have been a series of such threats, particularly from Ashab al Kahf and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, in recent weeks, including to the safety of the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski, who has made statements promising continued American presence in Iraq. This runs counter to the militias’ goal of ousting Washington from Iraq. At the same time, press reports have proliferated that some Iran-backed militias, like Asaib Ahl al-Haq, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, have played roles trying to deescalate the tensions given its political equities in the administration of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.  

Throughout the day on Friday, supporters of Iran-backed militias could be seen protesting near the U.S. embassy. Some were pictured with placards bearing the symbol of the Houthis in Yemen, which are also a part of Iran’s Resistance Axis. 

Israel and Hezbollah 

IDF Foils Border Sabotage Attempt by Hezbollah-Affiliated Activists

A group of Lebanese suspects, identified as members of the Hezbollah terror group, attempted to damage Israel’s northern frontier border fence on Wednesday afternoon before fleeing after the military set off a non-lethal blast. The trio were reportedly wounded in the flare-up on the southern border with Israel, two Lebanese security sources and a source briefed on the developments told Reuters. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed it did not know the identity of the suspects, but Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed they were Hezbollah members.

The incident, which appeared to be the latest in a series of Hezbollah provocations along the northern border, came on the 17th anniversary of the 2006 Second Lebanon War between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese terror group. The IDF said in a statement that troops had foiled an attempt by several unidentified Lebanese suspects to damage the border fence near the northern town of Zar’it. According to Israeli military sources, troops used a non-lethal explosive charge placed there in advance, to prevent such incidents of suspects attempting to damage the fence.  

Several hours after the incident, Israeli forces fired warning shots at a group of Hezbollah activists who launched fireworks and set fires near the northern Israeli town of Metula, during a protest to mark 17 years since the month-long Second Lebanon War. The blazes and warning shots were reported by both local Israeli and Lebanese reporters. A military source said the fires caused several old landmines to explode in the area.

Relatedly, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah gave a speech later that day to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the Second Lebanon War, in which he addressed that day’s incidents and recent provocations by Hezbollah against Israel – including two tents the group had set up inside Israeli territory in recent months. Nasrallah threatened to attack Israel if it tries to remove the tents.  

“Israel won’t dare to take one step in the territory against the tent because it knows what will happen,” Nasrallah said. “If there’s any harm to the tent, we won’t stay quiet.” “The youth of the resistance have orders to act if an Israeli attack takes place on the tent,” he added. 

Nasrallah denied that Hezbollah was attempting to demarcate the land border by placing the tents, claiming that they were erected inside Lebanese territory. Nasrallah said the move was designed to respond to Israeli entrenchment of their control over the village of Ghajar, an area that Israel seized from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War but whose northern half Lebanon claims as its own. Authoritative studies on sovereignty over disputed territories along the Israel-Lebanon border indicate that Ghajar in its entirety is, indeed, Syrian – but that demarcation of the border in the area was done so poorly to allow the confusion as to its ownership to arise.  

Nasrallah stressed that Lebanon needs to take decisive action to take back Ghajar “without any preconditions.” He called for cooperation between Hezbollah, the Lebanese state, and the people to reach the goal. “The land of Ghajar will not be left for Israel, and certainly not Shebaa Farms and Kfar Chouba” Nasrallah said.

Israel has relayed requests via the United Nations to have the tents removed, while in response, Lebanon and Hezbollah have demanded that Israel withdraw from Ghajar. The town straddles the unofficial border, but a wall erected by Israel includes the entire village on the Israeli side, sparking complaints from Beirut. Lebanon’s foreign minister has asked the country’s permanent mission to the United Nations to file a complaint on the matter. 

Nasrallah accused the United Nations of refusing to take action against Israel for building the fence, which he said had preceded the tents. “The international community remained silent on all Israeli border aggressions, but moved quickly after the resistance set up a tent at the border,” he said. 

Hezbollah Activists Steal Surveillance Equipment 

Hezbollah activists on Wednesday climbed an Israeli military tower on the border and stole surveillance equipment. Meanwhile, on Friday, the IDF said troops again fired warning shots and used riot dispersal means after a number of Lebanese suspects hurled stones toward the border. 

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