Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Thursday urged security forces to remain vigilant against "potential threats" with an escalation -or even all-out war- is likely more than ever, after the killing of two senior commanders of forces hostile to Israel earlier this week.
Late on Tuesday, July 30, Israeli fighter jets targeted 62-year-old Fouad Shukur, one of Hezbollah's most senior military officers, based in Lebanon. The attack also killed a woman and two children and wounded at least 74 people in the surrounding area.
Less than 24 later, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in his residence in Tehran which he visited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
During a visit to the Baghdad Operations Command headquarters, al-Sudani reviewed security plans and operations with senior officials, including the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, the Commander of Baghdad Operations, and the cabinet's secretary, according to a statement from his office.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, according to the statement, stressed the importance of maintaining constant alertness and readiness for any sudden security developments.
He also called for enhanced "intelligence coordination and information sharing among security agencies, updating security plans, and utilizing modern technology to achieve stability." These measures, he said, would support the government's efforts to continue providing services and implementing comprehensive development projects.
He also emphasized "the need for rapid response capabilities to address security challenges, ensuring the welfare of security personnel, and treating citizens according to the law and constitution to uphold the state's authority."
Yesterday, the US military carried out an airstrike in central Iraq as American troops braced for anticipated retaliation by Iran-backed groups after an Israeli strike killed a senior commander of their Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, in Beirut.
US officials described the strike in Iraq's Babil governorate as defensive, saying it targeted militants who were preparing to launch a one-way attack drone that posed a threat to US forces.
"Three PMF members were killed and four others are critically wounded," says the official from the alliance of pro-Iranian former paramilitary groups now integrated into the regular security forces, known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The source added that the blasts were caused by an "airstrike — four or five missiles hit the base."