The Iraqi government spokesperson said that the prime minister prevented a potential blow that could have harmed Iraqi territory on Saturday. Security analyst Yair Goldblatt questioned whether the reference was to the planned US strike on targets in Iraq, or to the prevention of a widespread missile attack on Iraq.
The Iraqi government spokesperson's statement on Monday comes against the backdrop of escalating US-Iranian hostilities in the region. Over the past week, the US has conducted multiple airstrikes on Iranian-linked targets in Iraq and Syria, and Iran has responded with ballistic missile attacks on US bases in Jordan. The Iraqi prime minister has faced pressure to prevent Iraqi territory from being used as a launching pad or target. The precise nature of the 'potential blow' referenced by the spokesperson remains unclear. Security analyst Yair Goldblatt suggested it could refer to the planned US strike that included Iraqi targets, or to the prevention of a wider Iranian missile attack on Iraq. As The Zioneer has reported, the US-Iranian military exchanges have raised concerns about Iraqi sovereignty and regional stability.
2 developments
- StrongIraqi PM Ali Al-Zaidi condemns drone attack on Erbil airspace
- DevelopingIraqi government spokesman denies approving US-Saudi strikes, says Baghdad had no prior knowledge
- DevelopingGoldblatt: US-Saudi strikes on Iraq may have followed Netanyahu request for deterrence
- DevelopingAssessment: Possible Iraqi Response to Tonight's Strikes
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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