A week after reports emerged that one of the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq had reached an agreement with the Iraqi prime minister to halt military actions against Israel, an official Iraqi confirmation arrived on Monday that the militias have ceased their attacks on Israel – at least for now.
Yasser Watout, a member of Iraq’s Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, told the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the halt in militia operations against Israel for more than a month stems from pressure applied by the Iraqi government and Shiite political factions, alongside external threats that Iraq is exposed to. According to him, these pressures aim to distance Iraq from a conflict that could escalate and directly involve the country.
"Iraq has received threats from Israel and the United States due to the activities of the militias, and these threats have been a central reason for stopping their actions," Watout explained.
He also noted that the fall of Assad's regime in Syria contributed to the cessation of militia activities because they could no longer launch attacks from Syrian territory as they had in the past. "After Assad’s fall, the militias faced significant difficulties in carrying out attacks against Israel. They relied on Syrian territory for their operations. We believe this has stopped permanently, not just temporarily," he added.
Ayed al-Hilali, a close associate of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, also stated that regional and international powers – including the United States and Iran – seeking to avoid escalation in the region, pressured Iraq and the militias to halt their attacks. He further mentioned that Israeli threats to target Iraq were another factor in the decision, saying: "It is possible the militias are adopting a new strategy that involves maintaining silence for the time being while reorganizing their position."
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Additionally, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani said in an interview with the Saudi television channel Al-Hadath that: "What is happening in Syria affects Iraq. The security deterioration in Syria will have negative consequences for the region, but we will not interfere in its internal affairs." He added, "Iran is concerned about what has happened in Syria. They have their own fears. Turkey's dominance in Syria is evident – this is concerning. We do not want Turkey to replace Iran in Syria."
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According to him, "Trump emphasized to the Iraqi Prime Minister that weapons must remain in the hands of the state. The militias agreed to the demands to stop their attacks against Israel, but we cannot take sides if a U.S.-Iranian conflict erupts. Israeli threats regarding strikes in Iraq are troubling, but for now, U.S. pressure has curtailed Israel's intentions to attack Iraq."
The last known attack by the militias occurred on November 24, about a month after they resumed targeting Israel and claimed responsibility for an unusual number of cross-border rocket launches. These militias maintain close ties with Hezbollah – with their relationship significantly predating the start of the current conflict.