Iran-backed militias around the Middle East are intensifying attacks against Israel, the US and their allies, in retaliation for the ongoing joint US-Israeli offensive against Tehran as the war draws in new armed actors, threatening wider chaos and violence. Israel and the US have targeted Iran’s network of militant groups, with Iraq emerging as a key front in this new and often clandestine confrontation. Militia in Iraq have launched dozens of attacks since the war began on Saturday, targeting Israel and US bases in Jordan and Iraq itself. Several Iran-backed armed factions have claimed attacks on the US base at Erbil airport in Iraq’s north in recent days. A spokesperson for Israel’s military confirmed on Wednesday evening that drones had been launched at Israel from Iraq though “not in significant numbers”.

Source: The Guardian March 06, 2026 14:01 UTC