Will Iraqi militias join the Iran-Israel conflict as tensions grow in the region?

It seems Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq have begun targeting US interests, despite earlier warnings they would act only if Washington directly intervened in the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. Iraq's military says air defence systems have been activated to protect key infrastructure as the region braces for further escalation.

On Sunday, Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed faction in Iraq, threatened to launch attacks on US military bases and diplomatic sites across the region should the United States deepen its involvement in the conflict.

"We are closely monitoring the movements of the American enemy's army in the region," said the group's secretary-general, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, in a statement. "If America intervenes in the war, we will act directly against its interests and bases spread across the region without hesitation." He also called for the immediate closure of the US embassy in Baghdad.

The warning followed Israel's unprecedented air strikes on Iranian military, nuclear and civilian sites on Friday. Iran retaliated by launching hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel. Several projectiles entered Iraqi airspace, with some crashing in remote areas without causing casualties.

At Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq, used by US-led coalition forces, an explosive drone was intercepted on Friday. In Erbil, a suspected drone was shot down early Monday near the newly constructed US consulate, reportedly by its aerial defence system. A similar incident was reported on Sunday when another drone was intercepted over the city.

In response, Iraq's air defence systems have been repositioned and activated as part of routine measures to safeguard critical sites, said Lt. Gen. Muhannad Ghalib al-Asadi, the commander of Iraq’s air defences. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani chaired an emergency National Security Council meeting, directing security forces to adopt all necessary precautions to preserve internal stability.

The council reiterated Iraq's solidarity with Iran, condemning what it called a "blatant Zionist aggression" and expressing readiness to assist Tehran in coping with the aftermath.

On Saturday, the Iraqi government firmly rejected any use of its airspace by Israel to launch attacks on Iran or other neighbouring countries, calling it a violation of sovereignty and international law. Baghdad urged the United States to prevent further breaches and warned that it may resort to measures under the United Nations Charter.

"Iraq has exercised the highest levels of restraint, in the hope of giving a chance for diplomatic and political solutions to defuse the crisis through peaceful means," said Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. "Iraq has the right, under international law and the United Nations Charter, to use all available means to respond to any violation of its sovereignty by any party."

Iraq on Saturday also held the United States responsible for safeguarding its airspace against "Zionist violations." An Iraqi government source told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that Baghdad sent a stern formal message to Washington urging it to prevent Israeli warplanes from breaching Iraqi airspace, invoking the US-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement. The source underscored the importance of respecting Iraqi sovereignty and the integrity of its skies.

"The United States, as the lead state of the international coalition against ISIS, must assume its responsibilities and prevent any violations that undermine Iraq’s sovereignty or endanger its security," the source said.

Meanwhile, Iraq's Parliament is scheduled to convene on Tuesday in an extraordinary session to discuss the Israel-Iran conflict and breaching Iraq's sovereignty.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed that his government is actively pursuing diplomatic channels to prevent further Israeli incursions. In a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, al-Sudani reaffirmed Iraq's solidarity with Tehran.

"The government is working across various tracks to prevent the Zionist entity from breaching our airspace," said al-Sudani, according to a statement from his office. He expressed readiness to provide "all forms of necessary assistance" to help Iran respond to the aftermath of what he described as a "blatant Zionist aggression."

"Iraq's security is tied to regional security, and we are committed to avoiding a wider war," he added.

For his part, President Pezeshkian thanked Iraq's government and people for their clear and public stance in rejecting Israeli actions across the region, as well as its ongoing crimes in Palestine. He called for a unified position among Islamic nations to confront what he called repeated violations of international law that threaten other Muslim countries as well.

Iraqi security observers have claimed that the Iranian president has asked Sudani to intercept Israel's fighter jets and drones breaching Iraq's airspace in their way to strike Iranian targets. 

Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition, echoed the government’s position, hailing Iran’s retaliatory strikes as a "true victory" for the axis of resistance.

"The developments in the struggle with the Zionist entity represent a real triumph for the resistance front," Maliki said at a rally in Baghdad. "The battle unfolding today is a confrontation between the path of Imam Ali and global Zionism, which has long targeted Islam and Muslims."

He praised Iran's military actions in Gaza, southern Lebanon and even "inside Tel Aviv", crediting Tehran’s "faith in the justice of its cause" for what he described as strategic victories against Israel.

"The notion that the Israeli army is invincible has been shattered," Maliki said, while condemning the silence of some Arab states. "Whoever abandons the resistance has betrayed the trust and will bear the consequences of their misguided stance."

Iraq's Defence Minister Thabit al-Abbasi said the country remains "secure and stable", but noted that Iraqi forces are on alert and monitoring developments closely in anticipation of any spillover effects.

Despite Baghdad's diplomatic balancing act between its allies in Washington and Tehran, the recent surge in militia threats, intercepted drones and fiery political rhetoric indicate that Iraq risks once again becoming entangled in a broader regional war.