Al-Sudani orders Iraqi security forces to increase readiness amid regional tensions

BAGHDAD – Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, issued directives on Tuesday evening to enhance the readiness of Iraqi security forces in response to potential threats that could disrupt the country’s security and stability. The orders were made during Al-Sudani’s visit to the headquarters of Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.

The visit coincided with Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel, raising concerns about regional instability. Iran launched nearly 200 missiles at Israel on Tuesday evening, targeting various locations, including Tel Aviv. The attack triggered air raid sirens across Israel, and while many missiles were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, some struck areas in the country.

A Palestinian man was reportedly killed by debris from an intercepted missile near Jericho, a city in the West Bank.

Iran claimed the missile attack was in retaliation for the assassination of senior Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other Iranian-aligned commanders in a previous Israeli airstrike. The assault marked a significant escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Iran would “pay” for the attack. The United States condemned the missile strike, with officials warning of severe consequences for Iran.

Full statement from Al-Sudani’s media office:

Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Mohammed S. Al-Sudani, visited the Joint Operations Command headquarters in Baghdad this evening, Tuesday.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani met with several senior security leaders and was briefed on the security situation across various military sectors, the progress of security plans, the challenges faced by the military and security forces, and the level of readiness to address any threats that could disrupt security and stability.

The Commander-in-Chief directed all security leaders to exert maximum efforts to ensure security throughout the country. He also emphasized the importance of continuing to enhance the capabilities of the security forces and improving training mechanisms that contribute to elevating their readiness in the face of potential threats, especially with the implementation of the Joint Statement Announcing the Timeline for the End of the Military Mission of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Iraq within the year.