Another front? Israel monitoring the dismantling of Iranian militias in Iraq

The Iraqi government has issued an ultimatum to pro-Iranian Shia militias to disarm by the end of September. The militias reject the demand and condition discussions on a full American withdrawal. Israel and its security establishment are closely monitoring the situation, fearing the militias may want to flex their muscles and launch fire toward Israel when the ultimatum expires.

The Iraqi government has issued an ultimatum to pro-Iranian Shia militias in the country, demanding they disarm by the end of September. The militias, led by Kata'ib Hezbollah, reject the demand outright but have signaled they would agree to discuss the matter only after a full withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. In Israel, the security establishment is closely monitoring developments, concerned that the militias may seek to demonstrate their strength and launch attacks toward Israel as the ultimatum deadline approaches. The situation raises the possibility of a new front for Israel, as the militias could attempt to divert attention from internal Iraqi pressures by targeting Israeli interests.