Shafaq News/ The political leader of the Iraqi Nujaba Movement, known for its attacks on US forces, has warned that strikes against American troops could resume as regional tensions escalate due to the Gaza conflict and broader Middle Eastern crises, according to a Newsweek report.
The Nujaba Movement, also called Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, operates under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition aligned with Iran. Their fighters have targeted both US and Israeli forces amid ongoing violence between Israel and Palestinian Hamas in Gaza.
While attacks on US troops had largely paused since February, following intensive US airstrikes that resulted from the deaths of three American soldiers, recent US strikes in Iraq have reignited calls for retaliation. Sheikh Ali-Asadi, head of the Nujaba Movement Political Bureau, told Newsweek, “This illegal and illegitimate presence is adorned by assassinations inside Iraqi territory and of members of the Iraqi security forces without the knowledge of the Iraqi government.”
He added, “All of this gives justification to the resistance factions and the Iraqi people to confront them and liberate their land from these forces that violate the rights and dignity of the Iraqis.”
The recent US strikes coincided with heightened tensions following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, widely blamed on Israel, and the death of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut. These events have intensified vows for vengeance from Iran, Hezbollah, and other factions within the Axis of Resistance, including the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
Based on the report, the current situation mirrors the precarious environment following the January 2020 assassination of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, which led to calls for the expulsion of US troops from Iraq. Despite reductions in troop numbers and a shift in US mission focus under both President Trump and President Biden, about 2,500 US personnel remain in Iraq for training and advisory roles.
Asadi criticized the US presence, stating, “The origin of the American presence is illegal and illegitimate,” and emphasized the need for Iraq to expel the occupying forces. He also questioned the legality of the Strategic Framework Agreement under which US forces remain in Iraq.
In response to recent strikes, a US defense official explained that the airstrikes were defensive measures against threats posed by potential drone attacks. The official stated, “US forces in Iraq conducted a defensive airstrike... targeting combatants attempting to launch one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (OWAUAS).”
Moreover, the report affirmed that Kataib Hezbollah, another faction within the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, claimed the US strike targeted experts testing reconnaissance drones for security during the upcoming pilgrimage to Karbala. The group has called for the Iraqi government to work towards expelling US forces and for lawmakers to take a clear stance against American presence.
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which includes several Islamic Resistance factions, condemned the US strikes and demanded the withdrawal of foreign troops. They accused the US of plotting with Israel to escalate regional conflicts and warned that such actions risk further destabilization.
Iraqi military spokesperson Major General Yahya Rasool criticized the US for undermining joint security efforts and risking broader regional conflicts. Rasool said, “Such serious and uncalculated transgressions can significantly undermine all efforts, mechanisms, and frameworks of joint security work to combat ISIS in Iraq and Syria,” and warned of potential consequences for the region.
Newsweek has reached out to the Iraqi government and the PMF for further comment.
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