EXCLUSIVE: Kataib Hezbollah threatens US bases if Washington strikes Iran
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned Iraqi group, warned on Friday that US military bases in Iraq and the wider region would be targeted if Washington launches military action against Iran.
While participating in a protest outside Iran’s embassy in central Baghdad to denounce threats by US President Donald Trump of possible military intervention against Tehran amid unrest in Iranian cities, senior commander Abu Talib al-Saidi told Shafaq News that “the resistance’s missiles and drones are ready," confirming that “Kataib Hezbollah is part of the conflict between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. We will not stand neutral. Our hands are on our weapons.”
Read more: Escalation without Collapse: Washington’s options against Tehran
He revealed that the group had previously refrained from involvement during what he described as the 12-day US war on Iran after guidance from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. “But the situation now is completely different,” he added, describing the group’s current readiness as “very high.”
The US military continues to scale down its presence in Iraq under a bilateral security agreement, with security sources telling Shafaq News that two advisory bases will remain in Altun Kupri and Harir, hosting dozens of military advisers for training and coordination missions within an agreed framework.
Earlier this week, Kataib Hezbollah reiterated that it would respond to any US attack on Iran, stating that “religious and moral duty requires fighters to stand with all available strength alongside the Iranian people.” The group has been designated a terrorist organization by Washington since 2009 and has repeatedly faced US accusations of targeting US-led Coalition forces in Iraq.
Against this backdrop, Iraq’s Coordination Framework, a key Shiite political alliance backing the current government, rejected the use of Iraqi territory as a launch point for attacks on any country, particularly Iran, citing concerns over sovereignty and regional stability. Several of its constituent parties maintain armed wings or close ties to Iran-aligned factions operating under the Popular Mobilization Forces, a state-recognized security umbrella.
Read more: Tehran vs. Baghdad: Iraq’s armed factions face a strategic recalculation
