The movement and spread of the armed militias associated with the Iranian regime expanded until it began to assume false names for them or far from the real names of the militias operating in Iraq, which gain their power and influence from the support they receive from the leadership and officers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard responsible for implementing the expansion policy of the ruling regime in Tehran and its expansion and influence in Iraq and the rest of the capitals of the Arab countries such as Beirut, Damascus and Sana’a, and it became clear that these militias carried out many attacks against internal and external targets, using new and advanced tools and weapons far from their counterparts of Katyusha and mortars.
We noted that most of the operations carried out by these militias recently were by Drones and guided missiles are used, and this is what happened in the operations carried out on Saudi territory targeting civilian targets and sovereign sites with clear and implicit recognition through many statements issued under the names “Al-Waad Al-Haq, Ahlu Al-Akahaf, and Al-Amr Al-Ma’roof” and used Iraq as a starting point for them, and in practice they threaten Iraq’s national security, and made the Iraqi people gets exposed to more Political and security crisis with neighboring countries, especially since the Iraqi government has taken serious steps in the past months to perpetuate fraternal relations with brotherly Arab countries, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by signing several economic, trade and security agreements, strengthening joint Arab cooperation, Iraq’s return to exercise its pioneering role in the Arab region and strengthen bonds of love between brothers, in a way that reflects positively on the general situation in Iraq.
These armed militias are trying to implement the will and directions of the parties supporting them from the Iranian regime and some political parties inside Iraq and work to embarrass the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhemi and create more tensions and obstacles that threaten the security and safety of the Iraqis.
After the two operations that were carried out by the factions who have claimed responsibility on the dates listed below:
First: On January 23, 2021, the Saudi airspace was penetrated using drones, and they were intercepted by the Saudi air defense system, and the operation took place in broad daylight and targeted civilian and sovereign sites.
Second: On January 26, 2021, in the same manner, a drone was directed that penetrated the Saudi defenses, and “Al-Wa’ad Al-Haq” factions claimed responsibility for it targeting Al-Yamamah Palace in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
The voices and media of the armed militias began to talk about the importance of these two operations, since they were directed accurately at sensitive sites and places of political and media importance, confirming their continuation through operations directed inside the Saudi depth, and when we review these facts , the implementation of the directed operations and the nature of the methods used, the following can be observed:
1- The Iranian regime’s endeavor and orientation to supply armed militias and its desire to possess this weapon due to its importance in directing air strikes at a low cost and with the ability to control the take-off of the plane that flies for distances estimated at hundreds of kilometers and is difficult to detect and can been seen with the bare eye and its material cost is simple after the Iranians were able to manufacture all kinds of drones of all kinds And different sizes.
2. The two operations came after a cessation of targeting the headquarters of the US diplomatic mission in Baghdad, where the last attack was on December 20, 2020, in which three guided missiles were used that were confronted by a defense system stationed on the roof of the embassy building, and this means that the militia’s direction moved from the internal confrontation to cross-border confrontation and targeting the allies of the United States.
3- Escalating confrontation with the US administration outside Iraq and under the direction of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in order to eliminate suspicion and direct accusation against it, and it chose Saudi targets even though the launch of the drones was through the bases stationed inside the Iraqi depth and near the southern provinces bordering the Saudi border.
4- Giving a real message to the new US administration on the control and domination of armed militias, which are supported by the Iranian security and intelligence services over the situation inside Iraq and their ability to control the political and security decisions, which are messages with essential contents related to the nature of Iranian hegemony and influence in Iraq.
5- The leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard sought to expand the circle of (the security chaos industry) inside Iraq, escalate the situation of confrontation internally and externally, and expand the process of proliferation of uncontrolled weapons and the control of militias and armed gangs to continue implementing the Iranian expansionist political project in expansion and influence and using Iraq as a starting point for the rest of the capitals and countries of the Arab world.
6- The targeting process took place in broad daylight and it rarely occurs, and the supervisors of the implementation wanted to achieve a security goal and a phased field goal through a future strategic vision and demonstrate their ability to determine the time, hour and place of targeting at all times and conditions, and here we point out that the range of the used drone was far from Its goals have arrived in the morning after they have been set up at night.
7. The two operations did not expect any material or human losses and were close to their targets, so the goal is to deliver specific messages and known signals that these militias and their supporting parties can reach their specific targets at any time with the available capabilities and target US interests and the common relations of their allies and partners in the Arab region, specifically the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other countries.
8- The Iranian regime seeks to play a more present regional role and confront the interests of the United States of America and confuse the regional and international situation by supporting and supporting the implementation of such operations through its tools and agents in the region from the armed militias, especially as it possesses a stock of drones and supplied with it many leaders and militia members in Yemen and Iraq.
9- The official Iraqi position remained silent without any statement or clarification of the information that was circulated and indicated with the recognition of the militias who was behind the attack regarding the use of Iraq as pillars and rules for sending drones into Saudi Arabia and their insistence on continuing the confrontation.
In order to preserve the national security of Iraq and prevent targeting operations across its territory and adhere to the bond of good and fraternal relations with neighboring countries, the security and intelligence services on the ground and the Iraqi government must observe the following measures:
First: Follow up on the movement and activity of armed militias, determine their whereabouts, locate launch bases for effective guided missiles and drones and target them and those in charge of them
Second: Activating the effectiveness of the intelligence effort, investigating accurate field information from the intentions and objectives of these elements, confronting them, using all means and methods to deter and stop them from their actions that threaten the security and safety of the Iraqi citizens.
Third: Monitoring the Iraqi-Saudi borders through a network of communications, surveillance towers, thermal cameras, and aerial reconnaissance planes, at a precise and specific times to detect the movement of drones and the locations of their bases and their departure.
Fourth: Intensifying joint cooperation with the leadership of the International Coalition to confront the used missiles and drones in the form of rapid cooperation proving their presence and full control over the coordinates and facts of the executed operations, because among the goals of these militias and those in charge of them are targeting the bases, places and movement of the international coalition on the Iraqi soil.
Fifth: To work in the form of (monitoring and deterrence), direct implementation and resolute confrontation, not to tolerate the role of militias that may go too far in using Iraqi lands, and not to overlook the directions and instructions that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Command affirms by continuing to carry out operations to force the US administration to lift the sanctions imposed on Iran or reduce it.
Iranian attempts, through its tools and agents continue to implement many indirect confrontation operations with the United States in many fields and through various methods and innovations, with different methods and tools, and to harness all the capabilities of its intelligence, security apparatus and the directives of the Quds Force and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to strive towards achieving the main goal and the desired goal of strengthening the process. Pressure and confrontation to restart negotiations on nuclear armament, ballistic missiles and the Iranian program according to Iranian desires and requirements.
The Iraqi Studies Unit