The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI; ) refers to an informal network of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

ian-backed Shia Islamist armed groups in Iraq. The name is used by members of the network when carrying out attacks against American forces or its allies in the region. IRI does not represent the official position of the Iraqi government and consists of militias that operate outside the formal command structure of the Iraqi armed forces. In October 2023, the IRI began launching rockets and drones at US bases in Iraq, Jordan and Syria, causing minor injuries to American servicemen until a drone attack killed three US soldiers in Jordan on 28 January 2024. Since November 2023, the IRI has attacked

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

with multiple drones and missiles. In April 2025, the IRI said that it was prepared to disarm to avert an escalating conflict with the

Trump administration Presidency of Donald Trump may refer to: * First presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration from 2017 to 2021 * Second presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration since 2025 See also * ...

Groups

Kata'ib Hezbollah Kata'ib Hezbollah (), also known as the Hezbollah Brigades, is an Iraqi Shia paramilitary group which is a part of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), staffing the 45th, 46th, and 47th Brigades. During the Iraq War (2003–11), the g ...

Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (The Nujaba Movement or HHN; ), officially the 12th Brigade, is a radical Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary group that is especially active in Iraq and formerly in Ba'athist Syria. It was established in 2013 by Akram al-Kaa ...

Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH; Aṣaʾib ʾAhl al-Haqq, "League of the Righteous"), also known as the Khazali Network (), is an Iraqi Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary organization previously active in the Iraqi insurgency and Syrian ...

Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada The Kataeb Party (), officially the Kataeb Party – Lebanese Social Democratic Party ( '), also known as the Phalangist Party, is a right-wing Christian political party in Lebanon founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936. The party and its parami ...

* Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya * Kataib Sarkhat al-Quds * al-Thawriyyun group

Arsenal

The IRI's arsenal composes of cruise missiles, kamikaze drones and rockets of Iranian origin. These include: * al-Arqab – a long-range surface-to-surface

cruise missile A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided missile that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large payload over long distances with high precision. Modern cru ...

, with a range of * Shahed 101 – A

loitering munition A loitering munition, also known as a suicide drone, kamikaze drone, or exploding drone, is a weapon with a warhead that is typically designed to Loiter (aeronautics), loiter until a target is designated, then crash into it.Gaza war The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...

, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq began waves of attacks on US bases in both

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

and

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

, beginning with the launching of a

drone strike Drone warfare is a form of warfare using Military drone, military drones or Military robot, military robots. The robots may be Telerobotics, remote controlled or have varying levels of Autonomous robot, autonomy during their mission. Types of ro ...

on al-Asad Airbase which was intercepted. On 24 October 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for multiple drone strikes on US bases in eastern Syria, notably al-Omar oil field in

Deir ez-Zor Governorate Deir ez-Zor Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Dayr az-Zawr,'' Kurdish'':'' ''Parêzgeha Dêrezor'') is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in eastern Syria, bordering Iraq. It has an area of 33,060 k ...

and al-Shaddadi in the

Al-Hasakah Governorate Al-Hasakah Governorate (; ; , also known as , ''Gozarto'') is one of the fourteen Governorates of Syria, governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is located in the far north-east corner of Syria and distinguished by its fertile lands, plentiful water ...

. On 5 November 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued a warning ahead of

Antony Blinken Antony John Blinken (born April 16, 1962) is an American lawyer and diplomat who served as the 71st United States secretary of state from 2021 to 2025. He previously served as Deputy National Security Advisor, deputy national security advisor ...

's visit to Baghdad, saying "Antony Blinken, the son of a Jew, is not welcome in Iraq." As a result of the threats, Blinken wore a bulletproof vest when landing in

Baghdad International Airport Baghdad International Airport , previously Saddam International Airport from 1982 to 2003, () is Iraq's largest international airport, located in a suburb about west of downtown Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate. It is the home base for Ira ...

. On 9 November 2023, US forces were struck three separate times in 24 hours, including drone strikes in Al-Asad Airbase and Al-Harir Air Base, as well as an IED attack on a patrol near the Mosul Dam. On 20 November 2023, eight US and coalition soldiers were injured from a ballistic missile attack, and there was minor infrastructural damage after the air base was attacked by a ballistic missile. On 25 December 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the base which injured three US soldiers, one being critical. On 18 January 2024, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq claimed it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone after it took off from

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

near

Muqdadiyah Miqdadiyah (; , Şareban (Shareban, Sharaban)) is a city in the Diyala Governorate of Iraq. Its population is a mix of Arab, Kurds, Kurdish and Iraqi Turkmen, Turkmen. The city is located about 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Baghdad and 30 k ...

Diyala Governorate Diyala Governorate ( ) or Diyala Province is a Governorates of Iraq, governorate in northeastern Iraq. Provincial Government *Governor: Muthanna al-Tamimi *Deputy Governor: Mohammed Jassim al-Jubouri Council Geography Diyala Governorate ...

. On 20 January 2024, the group claimed a missile attack on the Ain Al-Asad Air Base in Al Anbar Govenorate, injuring two US personnel and one Iraqi personnel. On 28 January 2024, the IRI launched a drone attack on the Tower 22 US military outpost in Rukban,

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

, killing 3 US soldiers and injuring 47 others. On 4 February 2024, a drone struck a training ground in Al-Omar field in

Deir ez-Zor Deir ez-Zor () is the largest city in eastern Syria and the seventh largest in the country. Located on the banks of the Euphrates to the northeast of the capital Damascus, Deir ez-Zor is the capital of the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. In the 2018 ...

, eastern Syria, which houses US troops, according to the

Syrian Democratic Forces The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a Kurds in Syria, Kurdish-led coalition of U.S.-backed Left-wing politics, left-wing ethnic militias and rebel groups, and serves as the official military wing of the Democratic Autonomous Administration ...

. Though no casualties were reported among US forces, at least seven Kurdish fighters were killed and 18 injured. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack. The SDF condemned the attack, and said it had "every right to respond". On 1 April 2024, Abu Ali al-Askari, security chief of Kata'ib Hezbollah, said the organisation was prepared to arm the Islamic Resistance in Jordan. He declared that Kata'ib Hezbollah is ready to provide "12,000 fighters with light and medium weapons, anti-armor launchers, tactical missiles, millions of rounds of ammunition, and tons of explosives" to "defend the Palestinians and avenge the honour of Muslims." On the same day, al-Tanf garrison in Syria was attacked by a one-way attack drone which was intercepted. Shortly after this announcement, a Jordanian militant attacked an IDF patrol vehicle near the Jordanian-Israeli border and fled. This was the first instance of an attack from Jordan on Israel since the beginning of the war.

Attacks on Israel

Since November 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for drone and missile attacks against targets within Israel in retaliation for Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The group stated it would continue to "strike enemy strongholds." In late January, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced it had entered its second phase of operations which included blockading the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

maritime routes to Israeli ports and disabling the ports. In November 2024, US officials confirmed that US and partner forces had intercepted Iraqi kamikaze drones launched against Israel. By late October, the ISI had launched drones on an average of around five times a day. In one 24-hour period in October, the ISI launched eight drones at Israel. Shortly after, Israeli news outlets reported that Israel may target the IRI for its campaign against Israel during its wars on Gaza and on Lebanon. Unnamed officials allegedly told outlets that satellites monitored the transfer of ballistic missiles and related equipment from Iran to Iraqi territory.

Intervention in the Israel–Hezbollah conflict

On 9 January 2024, the

spokesperson Jafar al-Husseini warned that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq would help

Hezbollah Hezbollah ( ; , , ) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. I ...

fight Israel if war erupted between the two sides. This statement came a few weeks after the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a Karish rig which Lebanon claims to hold sovereignty over. In June 2024, many Iraqi officials within the IRI network vowed to support Hezbollah with soldiers if the conflict with Israel escalated into an all-out war. On 24 June 2024, Qais al-Khazali, the leader of

, stated in a televised speech that if the US continued to support Israel in expanding the war to Lebanon and Hezbollah, the group would begin to attack US interests in Iraq and the Middle East.

Involvement in the 2024 Iran–Israel conflict

In Iran's missile and drone strikes against Israel, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq had contributed to the attacks on Israel, alongside Iran, the Yemeni Houthis, and an unidentified faction in Syria. This was by their launch of drones and missiles at targets in Israel. The United States, United Kingdom, and Jordan intercepted many of the drones but many did hit various locations within Israel and the occupied Golan Heights. In response to alleged Israeli bombardment of

Popular Mobilization Forces The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF; ), also known as the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), is an Iranian-backed paramilitary umbrella group that operates within Iraq. Although formally and legally part of the Iraqi Armed Forces and reportin ...

bases in Iraq, which killed a soldier and injured several others, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed a drone attack targeting

Eilat Eilat ( , ; ; ) is Israel's southernmost city, with a population of , a busy port of Eilat, port and popular resort at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on what is known in Israel as the Gulf of Eilat and in Jordan as the Gulf of Aqaba. The c ...

Intervention in the United States–Houthi conflict

On 11 January 2024, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said that if Yemen is attacked by the US and UK, "we will attack the Americans' base with everything in our power". After the initial US-UK airstrikes on Yemen, there were reports of a bomb and sirens being heard at the US Embassy in Iraq. In the same month, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq launched a drone attack on a US base in Jordan, killing three US soldiers and injuring 47 others.

US retaliation airstrikes

On 21 November 2023, a US AC-130-gunship struck a

vehicle near

Abu Ghraib Abu Ghraib ( or ; ) is a city in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq, located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000 (2003). The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghra ...

, Iraq in response to the Islamic Resistance In Iraq's 20 November attack on Ain al Assad Airbase. On 2 February 2024, the US launched retaliatory airstrikes targeting Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, in response to an attack that killed three US troops in Jordan. On 7 February, a US drone strike on a vehicle in the Mashtal neighborhood of Baghdad killed a commander of Kata'ib Hezbollah Abu Baqir Al-Saadi.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Islamic Front For The Iraqi Resistance Anti-American sentiment in the Middle East Anti-Israeli sentiment in Iraq Arab militant groups Islamist insurgent groups Rebel groups in Iraq Iraqi nationalism Khomeinist groups Axis of Resistance Shia Islamist groups