Seth J. Frantzman

Iraq condemned recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, vowed cooperation in the investigation, and moved to distance Iranian-backed militias amid growing US pressure.

After the invasion, around 150,000 Kurds were forced to flee. The Syrian rebel groups included extremists and they were involved in abuses, including the kidnapping of Kurdish civilians.

The deployment includes “8,000 troops, JF-17 jets, drones, HQ-9 air defense system,” and Pakistan will operate the military platforms.

Iran targeted numerous countries in the region, including the UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Iraq.

The attack follows a drone attack in the area of Abu Dhabi’s Barakah nuclear plant on Sunday. The two attacks could be connected, although it is too early to tell.

It’s possible the drone attack on the UAE on May 17 was an Iranian message that it will increase its list of targets in the country.

Fifty-nine candidates competed for 18 seats on the Central Committee, while 456 members competed for 80 seats on the Revolutionary Council, which serves as the movement's parliament.

The IDF held a major Dead Sea drill simulating a surprise attack along the eastern border, including infiltrations, drone threats, and civilian-area incidents.

On May 15, the US Justice Department announced “the arrest of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, an Iraqi national and senior member of Kataib Hezbollah,” the department said.

Iran’s narrative was that some of the Gulf states hosted US forces, or in the case of the UAE and Bahrain, had signed the Abraham Accords with Israel.