Iraqi militias claim drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain!
Euro Times / Baghdad
Two Iraqi militias have announced responsibility for drone attacks targeting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Bahrain early Tuesday morning, according to statements circulated on platforms linked to what is known as the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq.” The attacks were described by the groups as retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The groups that claimed responsibility are “Ashab al-Kahf” and “Rijal al-Bas al-Shadeed.” These names are widely regarded as media fronts used by Iranian-backed militias, primarily Kataib Hezbollah and the Harakat al-Nujaba militia. Both groups typically avoid publicly claiming operations under their real names due to the legal and political implications, as they are formally linked to Iraq’s state-affiliated Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
These militias have previously been associated with similar attacks targeting Gulf states, including Kuwait, using drones and missiles.
In a related development, positions belonging to the Kataib al-Imam Ali militia, led by Shibl al-Zaidi, were struck by airstrikes in Kirkuk province, resulting in the deaths of five fighters and the injury of dozens more. The strikes reportedly came in response to the group’s role in launching drones and rockets toward Erbil International Airport and the nearby Harir Air Base, which hosts U.S. forces in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Militia positions in the Makhoul district of Salah al-Din province were also targeted in another strike, although no official figures have been released regarding casualties.
Earlier strikes also targeted two militia brigades in Mosul and Al-Qaim after these groups were accused of carrying out attacks on Erbil, including the targeting of the UAE consulate there, as well as attacks in areas of Sulaymaniyah province.
According to available information, the attack on the UAE consulate in Erbil was launched from the Mosul area. Coalition forces reportedly responded by striking Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters inside the city.
Available indicators suggest that Kataib Hezbollah was behind the attack on the UAE consulate. The militia-affiliated Sabereen News platform was the first outlet to announce and claim the operation, after which Iranian and pro-Iranian Iraqi media platforms widely circulated the news.
In a separate statement, what is known as the Iraqi Resistance factions collectively claimed they carried out 37 operations in a single day, targeting what they described as military objectives in Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, signaling a widening regional escalation linked to the ongoing conflict in the region.
Source: Statements issued by the militias and media platforms affiliated with them.
