Pro-Iran groups in Iraq have intensified calls for the withdrawal of US troops following a series of Israeli strikes on Iran. A prominent faction, Kataeb Hezbollah, issued a stark warning about the potential for “additional wars in the region” in light of the escalating conflict. This demand comes in the wake of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which has seen Tehran-aligned armed factions conducting rocket and drone attacks on military bases housing US personnel in both Iraq and neighboring Syria.
Kataeb Hezbollah specifically pointed fingers at US President Donald Trump, alleging that his administration “authorized” the significant Israeli offensive against Iran. In a statement, the group claimed that the presence of American forces in Iraq has facilitated this aggression by allowing Israeli aircraft access to Iraqi airspace. They emphasized the urgency for the Iraqi government to act decisively, stating that removing these “hostile foreign forces” is crucial to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield and to avert further conflict in the region.
Akram al-Kaabi, the leader of another pro-Iran group, Al-Nujaba, echoed these sentiments, criticizing what he described as the “coordination” between the Israeli forces and the “American occupier.” He insisted on the necessity for a “complete withdrawal” of US troops from Iraq.
Currently, US forces are present in Iraq at the government’s invitation, primarily to assist in the fight against the Islamic State group. The presence of foreign troops has drawn consistent attacks from pro-Iran militants, especially since the Gaza war commenced. Although the retaliatory strikes have led to a temporary decrease in attacks on US installations, tensions remain high.
In a significant development, both the United States and Iraq confirmed plans to conclude the anti-ISIS coalition’s military operations in federal Iraq by the end of 2025, with the mission slated to end in the autonomous Kurdistan region by September 2026. At present, approximately 2,500 US troops are stationed in Iraq, their future now uncertain amidst rising calls for withdrawal from powerful armed factions in the region.
