Middle East Tensions: Arab Nations Threaten Iraq and Warn Hezbollah
Neighbors of Baghdad have signaled that it must curb pro-Iranian militias, or they will strike their positions within its territory. Baghdad promises to prevent further launches. In Lebanon, there are calls for Hezbollah to refrain from intervening in a potential conflict between the US and Iran.
Against the backdrop of regional tension, several Arab countries have warned Iraq in recent days that if pro-Iranian militias on its territory carry out launches against them, they will not hesitate to respond directly. These messages open the possibility of another cycle of confrontation if the US administration decides to renew the war in full scale against the regime in Iran.
The government of Ahmad al-Shara in Syria warned Iraq that "any attack originating from its territory will not go unanswered." This message came after al-Shara's forces noticed movements of pro-Iranian militia operatives in the border area. The Syrians emphasized the need to prevent any armed group from using Iraqi territory to carry out attacks or undermine security at the border. Recently, the smuggling of a shipment of dozens of UAVs to Hezbollah at the border was also thwarted.
A warning was also conveyed from Jordan to the Iraqi government that the kingdom would attack the militias if they attempted to harm it. An official Jordanian source stated that intelligence information had been passed to Baghdad regarding the militias' plans to attack Jordanian targets. The source added that in Amman, they now expect the government in Iraq to take immediate steps to prevent the militias from using its territory as a base for operations against neighboring countries.
The Saudi channel "Al-Arabiya" reported on similar warnings to Iraq conveyed by the authorities of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait due to fears of the expansion of the regional conflict. Saudi Arabia has already attacked together with the United States in Iraq, hitting a number of warehouses and military sites of the pro-Iranian militias. In the wave of attacks, about 20 Shiite operatives were killed, including Iranian advisors. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is concerned about the growing threat from the Houthis in Yemen, another terrorist organization that receives extensive support from Tehran.
At the same time, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi threatened to resign in protest against the lack of response from government mechanisms in handling corruption cases and the concentration of weapons in the hands of the state. The militias' loyalty to Iran threatens to destabilize the government in Baghdad once again. In parallel, a source told the American channel "Al-Hurra" that Iraq is trying to convince neighboring countries that it is capable of preventing the renewal of attacks by the militias without the need for attacks against them on its territory.
Beyond these matters, sources in Lebanon reported that various parties recommended that the Hezbollah leadership not repeat its support for the Iranian regime in the event of a large-scale confrontation in the region against the United States. According to these sources, Israel might respond destructively to such involvement and expand strikes throughout Lebanon. In Beirut, they doubted the possibility that Hezbollah would listen to these warnings and take them seriously.
On Tuesday (August 4), a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is supposed to take place, so in Beirut, they do not want a regional conflict to sabotage the process. The aspiration is to continue defining pilot zones for the withdrawal of the IDF in southern Lebanon.
Joining the circle of escalation in recent days is Egypt, which suffered a UAV attack at the port of Damietta on the Mediterranean coast. The Egyptian authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the incident and promise to hold those responsible to account once it is finally determined who is behind it.
Egyptian analyst Samir Ragheb said that the delay in claiming responsibility for the UAV attack indicates that the responsible party "fears Egypt's response." He estimated that Iran or one of its proxies in Lebanon, Syria, or Iraq is behind the incident. However, he emphasized that "Egypt is a great country that will not be dragged into any war. Its calculations are strategic, and it understands how to protect its national security and achieve stability in the region."
