A former tier one operator in Iraq offers candid insights into the spike in attacks against U.S. interests by Iranian-backed militias.
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Iranian-backed militias have been increasing their attacks in Iraq in part because Tehran has lost its control over these groups since the launch of Epic Fury, a retired tier one special operator who just left Baghdad told The War Zone. He spoke with us hours after the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad warned of an imminent attack in central Baghdad and a day after the department announced a reward of up to $3 million for information about who is carrying out these attacks.
For years, Iranian-backed groups like Kataib Hezbollah have targeted U.S. and coalition bases, headquarters, embassies and other facilities in Iraq. While these groups have been supported by Iran with funding, weapons, intelligence and command and control, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has also reigned them in, explained the former commando, who now works in the private sector in Iraq on energy and reconstruction projects. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations. With the IRGC fighting for its own survival now, and its command and control structure decimated, their grip over the militias has loosened.
The degradation of IRGC during Epic Fury is “unleashing the shackles” on the Iranian-backed militias, said the former operator, who fought in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). “The IRGC would keep them in check, and tell them to come back to base and cool it. Now that leadership is gone.”
As it has with its other proxy groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis, Iran has used Iraqi militia groups for military and political leverage when needed. However, many of these militias and their members, also known as Private Mobilization Units (PMU), fought against the U.S. during Operation Iraqi Freedom and have longstanding animosity toward the U.S. They want to kill Americans independent of instructions from Iran, the source stated.
“Now they’ve gone rogue,” the source proffered. “We have definitely seen an uptick in attacks.”
The result, he posited, has been “chaos across the country.”
On Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad warned that “Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours.”
“Iran and Iran-aligned terrorist militias have conducted widespread attacks against U.S. citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq, including in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR),” the embassy warning added. “They may intend to target U.S. citizens, businesses, universities, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, airports, and other locations perceived to be associated with the United States, as well as Iraqi institutions and civilian targets.”
Iraq: Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours. Iran and Iran-aligned terrorist militias have conducted widespread attacks against U.S. citizens and targets associated with the United States… pic.twitter.com/8R5ClIH6YL
We reached out to the State Department to learn what prompted the warning, given the increasing frequency of militia strikes. We will add their response if we get one. The former operator said that the Embassy warning “means there is credible intelligence that they anticipate an attack. They have seen indicators about troop movements or that something is going to happen to the embassy.”
In addition to warning about an imminent attack, the embassy also noted that “(t)errorist militias have targeted Americans for kidnapping.”
This includes the recent abduction of freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson.
“We are deeply alarmed by the kidnapping of Al-Monitor contributor Shelly Kittleson in Iraq,” Al-Monitorsaid in a statement. “We call for her safe and immediate release. We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work.”
The State Department is “aware of the reported kidnapping of an American journalist in Baghdad,” Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, told The Washington Post.
“The Iraqi Interior Ministry said security forces had arrested one suspect and seized a vehicle used in the crime and was tracking alleged accomplices in hopes of recovering Kittleson,” the publication added.
U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped on March 31, in Baghdad by a suspected Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, the United States said. (Photo by AFP) –
Since the launch of Epic Fury, we have reported on militia attacks on U.S. and coalition facilities in Baghdad as well as to the north in Kurdish-controlled Erbil.
A Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar System (C-RAM) seen firing into the sky over Baghdad during tonight’s drone attack against the U.S. Embassy and Baghdad International Airport by Iran. pic.twitter.com/Sv8ceqAicY
Victory Base Complex (VBC), a cluster of U.S. military installations surrounding Baghdad International Airport close to the Iraqi capital, has been a particular target. It was recently struck by Kataib Hezbollah first-person view (FPV) drones, destroying a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter and a critical air defense radar.
An Iranian-backed militia carried out a successful FPV drone strike on Camp Victory in Iraq yesterday, successfully hitting multiple targets.
As you can see from these videos, the militias have an increasingly advanced arsenal that includes artillery rockets, missiles and especially drones, which complicate defenses. Radars and air defenses at embassies and bases in particular have been targeted by drones, from FPVs to Shaheds.
Regardless of whether the militias are acting on their own, their attacks are clearly benefitting Iran. They have drawn in additional U.S. forces, which have had to respond with strikes of their own. In response to these attacks, U.S. forces have struck back at military targets across Iraq. As we recently pointed out, some of those strikes have involved A-10 Thunderbolt II close support jets conducting strafing runs to protect U.S. interests in Iraq.
“U.S. forces have taken action in response to attacks from Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups against American forces and personnel since the start of Operation Epic Fury,” U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told us Thursday morning. “We will not hesitate to protect our people.”
Hawkins declined to say how many of the more than 300 troops wounded so far during Epic Fury were injured while in Iraq.
As the situation in Iraq continues to spiral out of control, the State Department is using its purse in the hopes of finding detailed information about who is behind these attacks. The department’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program has offered a reward of “up to $3 million for information about attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq.”
“If you have information about these attacks, send us your tip,” RFJ urged on X. “Your information could make you eligible for relocation and a reward.”
Help us stop terrorist attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and elsewhere.
If you have information on Iranian-aligned terrorist militia groups or others responsible for these attacks, send us your tips today. pic.twitter.com/zULrJkM8Qg
Meanwhile the militia attacks continue, but for how much longer is a question, the former special operator noted.
While Iran’s loss of control over the militias has spurred them to act at will, they face a large and looming problem, he posited. The financial and logistical support they enjoyed from Tehran is drying up.
“They were very well funded and very well supplied,” said the ex-commando. “However, now they are not getting resupplied and that is going to cause a problem with their logistics. If they keep attacking, who is going to supply them?”
