Iranian-aligned Islamic resistance groups in Iraq hail missile strikes on Israel

NEWSROOM – Kata’ib Hezbollah and other factions of the Iranian-led Islamic Resistance in Iraq praised Iran’s missile attacks on Israel last night, framing the strikes as retaliation for the assassinations of senior leaders, including Hamas’s Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, and Iranian General Abbas Nilforoushan.

Prominent Iraqi armed group leaders, including Qais al-Khazali of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, endorsed the strikes, with Al-Nujaba Movement calling them a “resounding victory.”

Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles on Tuesday evening, targeting multiple locations across Israel. While Israel’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted many of the missiles, parts of missiles did hit Israeli territory. A Palestinian man was reportedly killed by debris from an intercepted missile near Jericho, a city in the West Bank.

Kata’ib Hezbollah, part of the Iranian-led Islamic Resistance in Iraq, issued a statement celebrating the strikes, which they claimed targeted Israeli military and security bases in retaliation for the assassinations of Haniyeh, Nasrallah, and Nilforoushan. “This operation reflects the ethics of knights and the commitment to rules of engagement by targeting the military and security bases of the Zionist enemy without harming civilian buildings,” the group said, contrasting their actions with what they described as the “brutality” of Israel.

Qais al-Khazali, Secretary-General of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, praised the strikes, stating, “We congratulate the resistance fighters […] on these missile strikes launched from the land of the Islamic Republic, which shook the occupying entity.” He also criticized Israel’s defense system, calling the Iron Dome “weaker than a spider’s web.”

The Al-Nujaba Movement also issued a statement, saying that the Iranian strikes are only “the beginning.” However, Iran itself issued a statement soon after the strikes implying last night’s operation the was the extent of their response to the assassinations, assuming Israel neglects to retaliate.

Al-Nujaba Movement, “We congratulate our brothers in the Islamic Republic on this resounding victory with the missile strike on the Zionist bases in our occupied lands… Today, the Islamic Resistance has proven its superiority and its ability to reach any place it desires at any time it chooses. The strength of the Islamic Republic lies in choosing the right time for retaliation, making it effective and impactful.”