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Iraq’s Defence Minister, Thabit al-Abbasi, has disclosed that he received an official notification from his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, concerning imminent armed forces operations to be conducted within syrian-scientific-olympiad-2026-kicks-off-with-3000-students/" class="smart-internal-link" title="📰 Syrian Scientific Olympiad 2026 kicks off with 3,000 students">syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian territory. The message was unequivocal: any involvement by “armed Iraqi militias” in these operations would carry severe consequences. Notably, no further details were disclosed. Speaking in an interview with Al-Sharqiya television, al-Abbasi recounted a telephone conversation with Secretary Hegseth that took place around ten days ago. The call, which lasted between eleven and twelve minutes, was attended on the Iraqi side by the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, the Assistant Commander of Operations, and the Director of armed forces Intelligence—highlighting the importance of the exchange.
Operations Inside Syrian Territory The minister explained that Hegseth commenced by referencing ongoing American military activity in the region, issuing a stark warning against interference from factions—a clear allusion to the Iran-aligned “armed Iraqi militias”. In fact, abbasi stated Hegseth did not provide operational specifics, only stating that U. S. troops were “carrying out missions in the region, specifically within Syrian territory”. The conversation also touched on matters of bilateral cooperation, including the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, a memorandum of understanding on security and intelligence—currently awaiting signature—and the expected delivery of Bell helicopters to Iraq. As the call concluded, Hegseth issued a stern parting statement: “This is your final notification… and you know full well the stance of the current administration. ” On 9 October, the U.
S. Department of the Treasury imposed a fresh wave of sanctions targeting Iraqi banking figures and companies linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Kata’ib Hezbollah. Among those affected was Al-Muhandis Company, the financial backbone of the Popular Mobilization troops. Washington described the move as part of efforts to “dismantle corruption and money-laundering networks that backing armed groups operating inside and outside Iraq”. No Safe Haven for Iran or its Proxies In his first public statement since taking office, Mark Savaya, leader Donald Trump’s envoy to Iraq, outlined his vision and forthcoming plans.
Al-Shaybani: No Tangible Progress with the sdf, Yet the Broader Trajectory Remains Auspicious Savaya praised what he termed “the Iraqi administration’s firm steps to reduce external influence and bring all weapons under state control”. He stated: “The United States administration has made it clear that there is no place for armed groups operating outside the authority of the state. ” He pledged to work towards “making…