Iraq welcomes nearly 5,000 Lebanese citizens as Israeli incursion continues

BAGHDAD — Iraq has received close to 5,000 Lebanese citizens in the past ten days, according to Brigadier General Miqdad Miri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior and the Security Media Cell.

“The arrivals were processed through Baghdad and Najaf airports, as well as the Al-Qaim border crossing,” Brigadier Miri said, emphasizing the country’s readiness to facilitate entry for travelers.

The first group of Lebanese citizens arrived in Iraq on Sept. 30 via the Al-Qaim border crossing. Many Lebanese travelers are transiting through Syria before entering Iraq.

Previously, Iraq’s Ministry of Migration and Displacement announced its readiness to accommodate Lebanese families fleeing the conflict. Following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Iraq declared three days of ‘national mourning.’

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani condemned the assassination as a “reckless act” intended to escalate regional instability.

Iraq, under a government backed by the Shia Coordination Framework has consistently voiced support for Hezbollah and Hamas in their conflict with Israel. In recent days, militias such as Kataib Hezbollah, part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, have launched drone and missile strikes targeting Israeli positions.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that the number of people displaced by Israeli attacks in Lebanon has reached 1.2 million. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mikati emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire.

Since September 23, Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes, targeting what it claims are Hezbollah positions across Lebanon. These strikes have resulted in over 1,000 deaths and more than 2,950 injuries, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah reported repelling an Israeli incursion into Lebanese territory, claiming to have destroyed three Israeli tanks as they advanced toward a border village. The Israeli military confirmed the deaths of eight soldiers, marking its first combat losses since cross-border operations began earlier in the week.

Clashes occurred in two border regions as Israel faced Hezbollah militants. These developments follow Iran’s largest direct attack on Israel to date, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to warn that Iran would pay for its “big mistake.”