Iran's Devastating Drone Attack Thwarted at the Last Moment

Iranian Revolutionary Guards planned a drone attack against targets outside Iraq, but the cell was arrested in Babil province before carrying out the plan. Arab sources link the cell to Iranian figures, while the government spokesman confirmed the foiling without detailing targets or the identity of those involved. The report connects to a Reuters publication from June about secret Iranian cells in Iraq.

During the night, a new plot by Iran's Revolutionary Guards was foiled, intended to carry out drone strikes outside Iraq's borders. The cell, which came from within Iraq, was arrested in Babil province before it could act. Iraqi government spokesman Al-Abadi confirmed the foiling, saying, "We are now investigating a cell that possessed unmanned aerial vehicles, and the operation was foiled," but did not specify the targets or the identity of those behind it. Sources of Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath in Iraq reported that the cell was directly linked to Iranian figures and was preparing to act against targets outside Iraq. The networks published images of the weapons and drones seized. The report gains additional significance in light of a Reuters publication from June, according to which the Revolutionary Guards established small secret cells in Iraq intended to carry out attacks in Gulf states hosting American forces. The arrest comes at a sensitive time in Iraq, when the prime minister declared a commitment to prevent the use of its territory as a base for attacks, and the government is conducting talks with armed factions to concentrate weapons in the hands of the state.