Baghdad pulled deeper into war as US strikes PMF targets

Iraq is increasingly becoming an active front in the war between the United States and Iran, with Baghdad now seeing both incoming attacks and retaliatory strikes.

Late on Sunday, US forces targeted the headquarters of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a state-backed umbrella group that includes Iran-aligned factions. The strikes followed drone attacks on a US diplomatic and logistics hub near Baghdad International Airport earlier the same day.

According to local authorities, “Units of the PMF were targeted by drone strikes and airstrikes, with three strikes in different locations,” though no casualties were reported as the sites were empty at the time.

The sequence reflects a pattern that is becoming more visible: attacks on US-linked facilities followed by direct US strikes on armed groups inside Iraq.

Earlier, Iraqi officials reported four explosions near Camp Victory, a key US logistics centre. Some drones managed to bypass air defences, causing what was described as limited damage.

This places the government in a difficult position. As Baig put it, officials are “trying to balance the relationship with the US and these very powerful armed groups”.

That balancing act is becoming harder to maintain. Iraq hosts Iran-aligned factions while also cooperating with US forces on security matters, creating overlapping lines of influence that are now colliding more directly.

Beyond security, the economic pressure is building. Iraq’s Ministry of Oil has declared force majeure on oilfields operated by foreign companies due to disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz crisis. With exports largely halted, the country’s main revenue stream is under threat.

The escalation is not limited to PMF targets. A drone strike on the headquarters of Iraq’s National Intelligence Service in central Baghdad recently killed a police officer, highlighting how sensitive security sites are also being drawn into the conflict.

Meanwhile, the US has acknowledged expanding its operations. The Pentagon confirmed that combat helicopters have been used against pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq, signalling a broader military footprint tied to the regional war.