IRGC set up covert Iraqi cells to strike Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE - Reuters

 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps set up secretive cells in Iraq to carry out drone attacks on Persian Gulf Arab states hosting US forces, bypassing established militia networks to avoid detection, Reuters reported, citing eight Iraqi sources.

The previously unreported groups launched at least seven drone attacks between April 20 and May 17 from desert areas near Basra and Samawa, targeting sites in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, three of the sources told Reuters.

The cells, each made up of about 10 elite Iraqi Shiite fighters, included some members drawn from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq umbrella group but operated outside its command structure and reported directly to the IRGC, according to the sources.

Reuters said the shift reflected an effort by the IRGC to preserve Iran’s ability to project force across the region while its proxy groups are weakened and its military and economic resources are depleted.

“The newer groups established by the IRGC appear smaller, more ideologically hardened and more tightly controlled, reflecting Iran’s need to conserve resources amid economic strain,” retired Iraqi army general Jasim al-Bahadli told Reuters.

The report comes days after the US and Iranian presidents signed an interim agreement to end the war and begin negotiations on difficult issues including Tehran’s nuclear program. The agreement does not address Iran’s support for regional armed groups, which Iranian officials have said is not up for discussion.

The US State Department told Reuters it expected Iraq to take immediate steps to dismantle Iran’s destabilizing tools in the country, including the IRGC and Iran-aligned militias.

Iraq’s new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, discussed plans with US envoy Tom Barrack to ensure the disarmament of armed groups outside state control and prevent Iraqi territory from being used to threaten regional peace, according to a joint statement cited by Reuters.

Iraqi officials said the attacks included at least three drone strikes targeting Kuwait, two targeting Saudi Arabia and two aimed at the UAE. They said targets included Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base, where US forces are deployed, and a military terminal at Kuwait International Airport. Reuters said it could not independently verify the accounts.

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