Militias Claim 171 US Flights Over Iraq Since Sept. 30

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq says it recorded 171 instances of American fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft operating in Iraqi airspace. The count covers the period from September 30 through Friday. The group released the figures in a statement reported by Rudaw. The allegations have not been independently verified.

The claim lands days after the US-led anti-ISIS coalition formally ended its military mission in Iraq on September 30. The coalition's departure gave Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi an opening to pursue a plan to place militia weapons under government control. The deadline for that plan is June 30, 2027. Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba have rejected the initiative. Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada have signaled willingness to cooperate.

The IRI also accused Baghdad of yielding to Washington's pressure on Iraq. The group objects to Baghdad's reduction of commercial flights and closure of border crossings with Iran. The statement was issued amid speculation about a possible new war with Iran. The IRI remains an umbrella organization for Iran-backed militias and continues to support Iran.

In an interview with Iraqi state media, Zaidi set a firm line on the deadline. He said that by June 30, 2027, "no weapons will remain outside the framework of the state." Zaidi repeated the point in a separate interview quoted by Rudaw on Friday. "Iraq will soon, God willing, be a state free of factions, like other countries in the world, and weapons will be exclusively in the hands of the Iraqi security forces," he said.

The State Department has kept its warning against all travel to Iraq. On Saturday, the US Embassy in Iraq published an update to the travel advisory. The advisory cites the threat of increased attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis and terrorist threats inside Iraq, including those posed by Iran-aligned militias. "The hostilities have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area," the State Department warned. The advisory also states that "the Iraqi government cannot guarantee the safety of US citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence and armed conflict."

The advisory names specific targets for potential attacks. These include airports, energy infrastructure, hotels, and diplomatic facilities. The State Department said that "terrorists, including ISIS and Iran-aligned militias, encourage and conduct attacks against US persons and interests in Iraq." The warning covers threats to American citizens and international companies, citing drones, indirect fire, and improvised explosive devices.

On Saturday, Rudaw reported that US intelligence had warned of increased Iranian efforts to assassinate American diplomats and officials in the Middle East and elsewhere. The report cites an Axios story about a memorandum dated Friday. The memo from National Intelligence Director Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that some alleged Iranian plots had reached advanced stages. Washington is reducing staffing at several embassies amid concerns about regional escalation.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Saturday that it had targeted a gathering center belonging to the Kurdistan Free Life Party, an Iranian Kurdish opposition group. The attack took place in Iran. Rudaw reported that clashes between the IRGC and the PJAK's armed wing, the Eastern Kurdistan Units, have intensified over the last week. Iran has used drones and artillery against mountainous areas where the Kurdish fighters operate. Iran's Mehr News Agency described the latest operation as a preemptive strike against PJAK members allegedly preparing attacks.