Shafaq News/ On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar held the Iraqi government responsible for "everything happening on its territory," emphasizing that Tel Aviv has the right to “self-defense.”

"I sent a letter to the President of the UN Security Council, urging immediate action regarding the activities of Iran-backed militias in Iraq, which are using its territory to attack Israel," the Israeli FM stated in a press release, confirming that “Israel has the right to self-defense, as outlined in the UN Charter, to protect itself and its citizens."

Since October 7, 2023, the Iraqi Islamic Resistance (IRI), an umbrella organization encompassing all Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups, has ramped up its support for the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, intensifying military actions against Israel, with strikes escalating as Israel’s offensive against Lebanon unfolded.

In his letter, Gideon urged the Security Council to act “swiftly” to ensure the Iraqi government meets its international obligations and stops these attacks on Israel.

On Sunday, a government source revealed to Shafaq News that “the US has pressured the Iraqi government to prevent armed factions from using Iraqi territory to target Israeli sites, warning that Israel would respond within Iraq, not Syria, if this happens.”

In this context, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that Israel's plans regarding any escalation from Iraq involve “first targeting infrastructure and facilities, then conducting targeted assassinations of key figures in the armed factions.”

Citing Israeli and US intelligence officials, the newspaper noted that Iran may ramp up its use of “proxies” in Iraq in response to Israeli military actions in Lebanon and Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 3,500 in Lebanon and over 43,000 in Gaza, mostly women and children.