Iraq is showing signs of indirect involvement in the Middle East conflict triggered by U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, as the country re-emerges as an American battleground. Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have attacked U.S. forces, prompting American counterstrikes. For the United States, this raises the specter of the costly 2003 Iraq War.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the 8th (local time) that clashes between U.S. forces and Iranian-backed militias are intensifying in Iraq.
According to the WSJ, Iraqi militias have launched dozens of small-scale drone and rocket attacks since the U.S.-Israel-Iran war began, expressing support for Tehran. Targets have included U.S. military bases and consulates in northern Iraq, as well as State Department facilities at Baghdad International Airport. On the 7th, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was hit by rocket fire. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called the attacks "terrorist acts by rogue groups."
The United States said on the 8th that it is conducting military operations against local militias in Iraq. Iraqi government officials said aircraft believed to be U.S. military planes have conducted multiple airstrikes on militia strongholds. Targets included areas near Jurf al-Sakhar south of Baghdad and al-Qaim near the Iraq-Syria border.
As U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on the 2nd, "This (the Iran war) is not Iraq. It's not endless." For Americans, the Iraq War remains a memory of prolonged conflict that left only casualties. The U.S. withdrew most troops after invading Iraq more than 20 years ago and maintains only a small presence today.
The WSJ noted that "the Iran war is spreading to neighboring Iraq," adding that "the U.S. is acknowledging its return to the place where it suffered heavy losses fighting insurgents for years after the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein's regime."
Actual damage from militia attacks on U.S. forces has been limited so far. However, experts say the Pentagon is seeking to inflict significant damage on Iranian-backed groups, which would mean opening a second front against Iran while also delivering long-delayed retaliation.
