[News] Iraq’s resistance enters the war with new targets, advanced weapons

[Anti-Imperialist News]

 Iraq’s resistance enters the war with new targets, advanced weapons

The Iraqi resistance is becoming a key player in the Resistance Axis,
coordinating with Yemeni forces, intensifying strikes on a wider range of
Israeli targets, and keen to reshape the war’s trajectory.

Khalil Nasrallah <https://thecradle.co/authors/khalil-nasrallah>

OCT 9, 2024 -
https://thecradle.co/articles/iraqs-resistance-enters-the-war-with-new-targets-advanced-weapons
(Photo Credit: The Cradle)

A year on since the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the Iraqi resistance
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/7822> has entered a new phase in its
support for Gaza – and now Lebanon – with its operations taking on a more
significant role in the widening regional war. These actions are not merely
symbolic; the leadership of the resistance in Iraq has been focused on
escalating its activities to pressure decision-makers in Tel Aviv.

Over the past 12 months, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq (IRI) has refined
its tactics and upgraded its weaponry, ensuring that its strikes on both
southern <https://thecradle.co/articles-id/27019> and northern
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/27082> parts of Israel, particularly in
Eilat, achieve tangible results.

*Resistance unity and a multi-front strategy*

The IRI’s most notable attack occurred on 4 October 2024
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/27156> when a military base in the
northern Golan was hit, killing two Israeli soldiers and injuring 24 others
from the “elite” Golani Brigade.

A week before the operation, Ali al-Mahdi, an Iraqi resistance commander,
was quoted
<https://al-akhbar.com/Politics/387383/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%A7-%D8%A3%D9%88>
as
saying:

The armed factions have the full capacity and readiness in terms of
fighters, weapons, and drones to fight a long war on a regional level.
Therefore, any development in Hezbollah’s war with the entity will directly
drag the factions into an open war without red lines … The resistance is
fully prepared if it is necessary to go to Lebanon, or to continue carrying
out strikes deep inside Israel with long-range missiles.

Despite facing significant internal challenges and external pressures, the
Iraqi resistance has been resolute about refusing to step back from the
broader mission of taking part in the “Unity of Fronts
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/26355>.” This strategy refers to the
coordinated efforts across the region’s Axis of Resistance, targeting the
occupation state and US military sites on multiple fronts.

*Phases of escalation*

Phase one of the IRI’s military operations commenced shortly after Israel
declared war on Gaza. At this point, resistance work focused on two primary
targets: US military bases in Syria and Iraq and Israeli positions in
southern occupied Palestine. Although the strikes on Israeli targets were
initially limited, this phase marked the beginning of a broader strategy.

The second phase followed a truce on 2 February in which the Iraqi
resistance faction Kataib Hezbollah responded to internal pressures by
temporarily
halting <https://thecradle.co/articles-id/21328> attacks on US bases and
targets following a major operation at the Al-Tanf
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/7815> base.

In spite of this pause, Iraq’s resistance factions significantly stepped up
their strikes on Israeli targets, using both drones and Al-Arqab cruise
missiles to hit Israel’s northern and southern regions. These strikes
became more effective as the IRI began to employ advanced weaponry, such as
drones and cruise missiles, forcing Israel to acknowledge the threat posed
by resistance forces to the east.

The third phase unfolded about a month after pausing operations against US
bases and involved closer and direct cooperation with Yemeni forces
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/25901>. Together, in March, they launched
joint operations targeting Israeli ships, the major Mediterranean port of
Haifa, and other critical infrastructure – joint efforts that were part of
Sanaa’s own “fourth phase of escalation
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/24772>.”

This phase highlighted the growing military coordination not only between
the Iraqi resistance and Yemeni forces but also among the various factions
aligned within West Asia’s Axis of Resistance.

Currently, the Iraqi resistance has entered its fourth phase, which is
focusing on striking <https://thecradle.co/articles-id/26966> deeper into
Israeli territorial depth, with an emphasis on northern areas of occupied
Palestine. This escalation has coincided with Israel’s destructive attacks
across Lebanon <https://thecradle.co/articles-id/26990> and the disruption
of Hezbollah’s command and control
<https://thecradle.co/articles/after-nasrallah-command-and-control-in-rapid-recovery>
structure
with the targeted assassinations of secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah and
other senior commanders.

What sets this phase apart is the increased frequency and intensity of
attacks, as well as the introduction of advanced drones
<https://english.news.cn/20241004/4c6340721eaa4a5e804ad8410d394f6a/c.html> and
weaponry into the conflict. On 3 October, the Iraqi resistance announced
that they targeted <https://thecradle.co/articles-id/27082> a critical site
in the southern occupied territories.

*Iraq asserts itself in the Axis*

The continuation and intensification of these operations by the Iraqi
resistance are aimed at achieving several strategic objectives. First, the
resistance seeks to reaffirm its rising position within the Axis of
Resistance, which is dedicated to preserving the unity of regional efforts
against Israel and preventing its fragmentation by external forces,
particularly the US.

Second, it aims to pressure decision-makers in Tel Aviv to halt the
aggression against Gaza and Lebanon. Third, the resistance wants to keep
Israel under constant threat, reminding it that it is vulnerable to attacks
from the eastern front.

Finally, the operations are intended to signal to the US that the
resistance is undeterred and may resume targeting American bases if
provoked, particularly if US forces escalate their involvement in support
<https://thecradle.co/articles-id/27189> of the occupation state.

There is little doubt that Washington is applying maximum pressure on the
Iraqi government to rein in the IRI, as it did before the 2 February truce.
But this time, Iraq’s resistance is mainly targeting Israel, which makes
the US persuasion mission more difficult.

There seems little possibility of retreat at this stage, regardless of the
pressure applied, particularly after Tel Aviv’s assassination of Nasrallah.
The longtime Hezbollah leader is considered a beloved symbol of the
resistance in Iraq, and the IRI feels more obligated than ever to
demonstrate loyalty to him and to his organization’s essential role in
supporting the Iraqis when they were invaded by ISIS. While ISIS was
terrorizing wide swathes of Iraq, Lebanon’s Hezbollah sent fighters and
cadres to support Iraqis and even participated in the confrontation.

*Another front for Israel*

Tel Aviv, already stretched thin by conflicts on seven fronts, is expected
to attempt strikes on the Iraqi resistance when the opportunity arises.
However, Israel is currently preoccupied with its ongoing war against
Hezbollah in Lebanon and its broader confrontation with Iran, making direct
engagement with the Iraqi resistance less likely for the time being.

Still, the recent successful strike on the Golan Heights serves as a
reminder of what Iraqis are prepared to do if the conflict escalates
further. The leadership of the IRI is fully aware of the potential for
Israeli retaliation, especially considering past Israeli strikes
<https://thedefensepost.com/2019/09/30/iraq-israel-pmu-base-strikes-abdul-mahdi/>,
such as those in 2019, which targeted sectors of the Iraqi Popular
Mobilization Units (PMU).

As the occupation state continues with its unprecedented aggressions
against the region, the resistance understands that the outcome of this
conflict will have far-reaching consequences for West Asia as a whole.
Iraq, as an integral part of the region, is deeply intertwined with these
developments.

The Iraqi resistance recognizes that its role in this war extends beyond
defending Gaza and Lebanon. It understands that the current battle is a
pivotal moment in the struggle for power in West Asia and that Baghdad is a key
player <https://thecradle.co/articles-id/25884> in shaping the region’s
future.

With this in mind, Iraq’s resistance appears committed to escalating its
military operations, diversifying its tactics, and introducing more
advanced weapons into the fight, knowing that the results of this conflict
will reverberate throughout the region.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20241009/52660a62/attachment.htm>